James Horwill
The struggling Reds have left former Australian skipper James Horwill behind as they departed for South Africa on Sunday, following his 2nd Red Card of the Super Rugby season.
Horwill received a 1-match suspension after being sent off in the 21st minute of the Reds match against the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne on Friday, and he would have been ineligible for the 1st of the Reds’ 2 games in South Africa.
The Reds play the Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday and the Toyota Cheetahs in Bloemfontein a week later.
Horwill’s Red Card for striking Melbourne Rebels prop Paul Alo-Emile with a swinging arm in a maul proved costly as the 14-man Reds gave up a 12 / 3 lead to lose 23 / 15.
The beleaguered Reds have now lost 6 of their opening 7 games, and their woes have been compounded by the loss of Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper for another 2 months after he fractured his right shoulder blade against the Rebels.
The squad that travels to face the Bulls and Cheetahs features all but 3 of the players that lost to the Rebels in Melbourne on Friday night. Additional players taken along are Adam Korczyk, Campbell Magnay, Tom Murday, Rob Simmons, Sam Talakai, Ben Tapuai and James Tuttle.
Tuttle, a member of the Reds Elite Development Squad, has been brought in as cover for Cooper.
Korczyk, also a member of the Reds Development Squad is a replacement for Jake Schatz, who ruptured a tendon in his elbow.
Murday, who made his Reds debut earlier this year, has been brought in for Horwill.
Reds head coach Richard Graham said: “As I said, it’s disappointing to lose Jake and Quade to injury, but we have had a number of young players gain experience early on in our Super Rugby campaign and are confident they are capable of delivering what we need on this tour.
“Korczyk, James Tuttle and Tom Murday have been training with the main squad throughout the season and have benefitted from being around the group.
“They are young, but have been impressive and certainly deserve this opportunity.
“With such a short turnaround between Friday’s game and our trip to Johannesburg, it was important to make quick decisions around who we need in the squad – so we could get straight into uninterrupted preparation for next week’s clash against the Bulls.
“For that reason, I thought it was important to bring in cover for James Horwill, for at least the 1st week of the tour, as we need a full compliment of players to select from.”
Simmons is in line to play his first game of the 2015 season, after successfully recovering from a shoulder injury in time to be available for selection for both games in South Africa.
Reds touring squad: Ben Daley, Greg Holmes, Sef faagase, James Slipper, Sam Talakai, Saia Fainga’a, James Hanson, Marco Kotze, Dave McDuling, Tom Murday, Rob Simmons, Curtis Browning, Liam Gill, Adam Korczyk, Adam Thomson, Nick Frisby, Will Genia, James Tuttle, Anthony Fainga’a, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Sam Kerevi, Ben Tapuai, Karmichael Hunt, Chris Kuridrani, Campbell Magnay, James O’Connor, Lachie Turner.