Queensland goes for pace against Barbarians at Ballymore
A speedy back three of Wallaby Digby Ioane, Australian Under 20 wing Blair Connor and smart stepping fullback Aidan Toua will provide David Croft's Queensland side with pace to burn when they meet the Alan Jones-coached Australian Barbarians at Ballymore on Sunday afternoon.
Queensland selectors today announced their strongest possible side to play in the match, a free-running but still full-on contest against a team of Australian and international guest players, presented by the Oaks Group.
Although minus current Wallaby squad members, the Queensland side will feature several players from the Australia A squad, along with a couple of new faces like Connor and Toua that Reds fans are sure to see more of in 2009.
Connor has been the standout player of the Trinity Premier Rugby tournament while fullback Toua scored the try of the match when Queensland played Auckland last month in a trial game on the Sunshine Coast.
Six members of the forward pack have Super 14 experience, as do five of the seven backs.
The Queensland XV is (from fullback): Aidan Toua, Digby Ioane, Morgan Turinui, Charlie Fetoai, Blair Connor, Quade Cooper, Ben Lucas, Leroy Houston, David Croft (c), Poutasi Luafutu, Robert Simmons, Van Humphries, James Slipper, Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes. Reserves: Ben Daley, James Hansen, Liam Shaw, Dan Linde, Brendan McKibbin, Matt Brandon, Luke Morahan.
The Ballymore match kicks off at 3:30pm and will be followed by a free concert starring Australian rock legend James Reyne.
The curtain raiser (kickoff 1:45pm) will be the Round 16 Premier match between Sunnybank and Souths, which is vital to both sides with the semi-finals looming.
The match will be a major fund-raiser for an off-season development tour for the QR Reds.
The QRU has also offered to use the match to help raise funds for the Souths club in Brisbane, which is facing crippling legal bills from an unwanted court action over its plans for a second field for club games.
Tickets available through Ticketmaster.com.au
