Queensland trio Mike Harris, Ben Lucas and Digby Ioane in doubt for Super Rugby clash
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Queensland trio Mike Harris, Ben Lucas and Digby Ioane in doubt for Super Rugby clash against the Bulls
By Adrian Warren
AAP March 18, 2012 7:01PM
Queries over injured playmakers Ben Lucas and Mike Harris and a citing against Digby Ioane added to the disappointment of Queensland Reds' first loss of the Super Rugby season.
The defending champions led 17-0 after 26 minutes, only to fall 27-22 to the Sharks in Durban as injuries bit hard.
The Reds ended up using halfback Will Genia at five-eighth and third-string goalkicker after inside centre Harris and five-eighth Lucas left the field with hamstring issues.
Both are in doubt for the game against the Bulls in Pretoria next Sunday morning (AEDT).
"I'd say of the two Mike Harris is probably more injured than Ben," Reds coach Ewen McKenzie told AAP.
"They are a similar sort of injury. They were both injured trying to steal the ball at the breakdown and getting hit and jamming something there."
Already missing first-choice five-eighth Quade Cooper, McKenzie said two other squad members, Jono Lance and Dallan Murphy, could also play pivot and kick goals.
The Reds lost winger Ioane for the first 10 minutes of the second half after he was sin-binned for a lifting tackle on flanker Marcell Coetzee just before the break.
The Test star was later cited for alleged foul play.
McKenzie hinted he could move Test No.8 Radike Samo out to the wing next weekend, if Ioane is suspended.
Although Queensland suffered their first loss after three wins, McKenzie was upbeat about an improved three-try performance highlighted by the return of the expansive attacking multi-phase rugby that helped carry them to last year's title.
"We didn't quite have the cohesion to get there but we were willing and all the good stuff we did, it was probably our best performance of the year," McKenzie said.
The Reds, still top of the Australian conference after earning a bonus point, secured 58 per cent of possession and produced some sparkling rugby in the first half, with Ioane, fullback Rod Davies and Genia all excelling.
