Reds welcome back Australia A trio for Saitama Queensland Shield

Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss has welcomed back “some experienced guys” for Saturday’s clash with Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights at Ballymore Stadium, including three players fresh off representative duty with Australia A in Japan.

Reds trio Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Seru Uru and Lachlan Anderson are back in the lineup after taking on a Japan XV in Osaka last weekend, with Australia A piling on more than 70 points at Yodoko Sakura Stadium.

Queensland have also selected two players for their official Reds debuts. 18-year-old Treyvon Pritchard was selected at fullback for last weekend’s uncapped match against the Wild Knights in Toowoomba, and has retained that position for the Saitama Queensland Shield.

This will also be a Reds debut for Vaiuta Latu, who starts at No. 8. Latu joins Reds co-captain Seru Uru and Kohan Herbert in the starting backrow, with those two lining up at blindside and openside flanker respectively.

Bond University’s George Blake will pack down at loosehead prop, joining Theo Fourie and Nick Bloomfield in the front row. Brothers duo Charlie Brosnan and Hamish Muller round out the tight five as the locking pair.

GPS scrum-half James Martens will partner McLaughlin-Phillips in the halves, while Dre Pakeho and co-captain Isaac Henry bring Super Rugby Pacific experience to the midfield. Xavier Rubens, Anderson and Pritchard are the outside backs in the run-on side.

“It’s great to welcome back some experienced guys to blend with the youth,” Kiss said in a statement.

“We have entrusted the captaincy to the experienced hands of Seru Uru and Isaac Henry.

“Harry will lead us around the field from flyhalf. He’ll form a halves pairing with James Martens, another attack-minded player.

“We are expecting a different game to Toowoomba, a fierce contest as has been the pattern since the Reds and Wild Knights began these annual games in 2022.

“It excites us that this game at our home at Ballymore will be the setting for Reds debuts for Treyvon, Vaiuta and others.

“It deepens the value of these games even more when you see the players who have played their debut game for the Reds against the Wild Knights.”

Saturday’s fixtures will open with the Reds taking on the ACT Brumbies from in a Super Rugby U16s match from 10am. The Reds face the Wild Knights in the Saitama Queensland Shield at 1:30 pm AEST before a watch party on the field for Wallabies versus Japan at 3:50 pm on a big screen.

Queensland Reds to take on Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in Brisbane

1. George Blake – Bond University
2. Theo Fourie – Brothers
3. Nick Bloomfield – Easts
4. Charlie Brosnan – Brothers
5. Hamish Muller – Brothers
6. Seru Uru (cc) – Souths
7. Kohan Herbert – Souths
8. Vaiuta Latu – Brothers
9. James Martens – GPS
10. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips – Wests
11. Xavier Rubens – Souths
12. Dre Pakeho – Brothers
13. Isaac Henry (cc) – Wests
14. Lachie Anderson – University of Queensland
15. Treyvon Pritchard – Anglican Church Grammar School
Replacements
16. Max Craig – Easts
17. Harrison Usher – Bond University
18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen – Norths
19. Jack Brady – University of Queensland
20. Zac Hough – University of Queensland
21. Graham Urquhart – Brothers
22. Finn Mackay – Souths
23. Heremaia Murray – Bond University