Reds to get seven players back after the bye

Reds head coach Richard Graham has revealed that they will have seven more players available for selection when they host the Lions after next week’s bye.

An injury-ravaged Reds team were beaten 0-29 by the Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium but coach Graham will have several key players back for their next match.

“We entered the game with a real confidence in how we wanted to play this game and at 10-0 down at half time, we knew we had every opportunity to win it. It’s a disappointing result for the group because it was within our grasp.

“With the bye next week, it’s important the guys take a physical and mental break from Rugby, ” said Graham.

“It has been a difficult start to the season, but we’ll come back to Ballymore late next week with a renewed focus and put all our efforts into getting a win over the Lions at home in two weeks.

“At this point in time there’s seven guys returning to the squad for the Lions game – that doesn’t guarantee us anything, but it provides us with more numbers to train with, provides a more competitive environment in terms of selection and it obviously provides us with some more experience as we’ll be bringing some Wallabies back into the squad.”

Graham rued his side’s sloppy execution.

“We simplified the way that we wanted to play and I thought that the physicality and some of our other work was very good,” Graham said.

“But there were a couple of really good opportunities in both halves we didn’t capitalise on.”

The Reds now have the bye before taking on the Lions at Suncorp Stadium on Friday 27 March.