Horwill to regain Reds captaincy

[blueandblack]

Fit-again Wallabies lock James Horwill is poised to regain the captaincy of the Queensland Reds despite the sterling makeshift efforts of halfback Will Genia.

The Reds are set to announce their 2011 Super Rugby skipper on Tuesday and it's understood coach Ewen McKenzie will return Horwill to the job he's held since succeeding John Roe in 2009.

The two-metre tall forward started last year with the captaincy but his season was cruelly cut short by a knee reconstruction after badly injuring the joint in a round two boilover against the Crusaders.

It thrust Genia into the role, where he thrived to the point Wallabies coach Robbie Deans acknowledged him as an option for the Test leadership role.

While Horwill hasn't played since, and Genia has said he'd like to keep the job, McKenzie in the past indicated there was no reason to change the leadership structure when the 24-Test forward returned.

"He's done a good job," McKenzie told AAP earlier this month.

"(Genia) stepped up, he was the vice-captain and he stepped up and that's the way you want it to work."

McKenzie is also known to be impressed by the leadership qualities of young Wallabies prop Ben Daley, who made his Test debut last June in place of the then-injured Benn Robinson.

Horwill last week admitted he wouldn't be surprised if Genia retained the job following his outstanding efforts as a stand-in.

"I would like to be captain no doubt but you have to do what is best for the team," he said.
On track to play Queensland's two pre-season trials against the Crusaders (January 29) and Brumbies (February 5), Horwill is also likely to play in his preferred position of second row after the Reds experimented with him at blind-side flanker at the start of 2010.

[Burgs]

Harsh on Genia as he did a great job, but Horwill is certainly their leader.
Hope the big fella has a blinder from Round 2, we need him firing in October.