By Nick Mulvenney
SYDNEY Feb 23 (Reuters) – The Queensland Reds are embracing
the added expectation that comes with being Super Rugby
champions and even without inspirational flyhalf Quade Cooper
remain Australia’s best hope of winning the title this year.
Cooper, who with scrumhalf Will Genia fired the Reds to a
surprise first triumph in the southern hemisphere’s annual
provincial championship last year, is sidelined by a knee injury
and will miss at least the first six matches of the season.
Coach Ewen McKenzie is confident he has the talent in his
squad to make up for Cooper’s absence but is also aware that
success this year is going to be as hard to earn as during their
fairytale run to the title last season.
“It’s good to be able to generate some expectation,” he told
reporters earlier this month. “Everyone keeps telling us this is
about defending but we have a different mindset.
“We have experience from last year but that’s it. If you
don’t bring it to bear you’ve got nothing. We have to go out
there and win it again in different circumstances.
“We’re not interested in defending, we want to win it.”
The Reds will get an early taste of the strength of their
rivals in the Australian conference when they meet the New South
Wales Waratahs in their season-opener in Sydney on Saturday.
The Waratahs, who reached the playoffs last year but were
booed by their fans on occasion for their lack of adventure in
attack, have a new coach in Michael Foley and a new captain in
former Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom.
Continued…
