Sean Hardman will become the first player to make 100 Super Rugby appearances for the Reds.
Hardman makes Reds history with century for Queensland
Reds hooker Sean Hardman will become the first player to make 100 Super Rugby appearances for Queensland when he runs on against the Bulls in Pretoria this weekend, while lock Adam Byrnes will achieve his ambition of a Super 14 debut.
Hardman's milestone comes 10 years after his first Super Rugby appearance against the Highlanders, while Sydney-born Byrnes gets his opportunity after serving a professional rugby apprenticeship in Ireland and with the Waratahs.
Byrnes, who moved to Brisbane late last year in pursuit of his goal, is one of seven new Reds caps in the squad of 22 announced by head coach Phil Mooney.
Byrnes has been named at lock, with former All Black and Blues flanker Daniel Braid also selected to earn his first Reds cap.
New caps
The prospective new caps on the bench are twin brothers Anthony and Saia Faingaa, former Sydney prop Laurie Weeks, teenage lock Robert Simmons and recent Rugby League convert Mark McLinden.
Scrum-half Ben Lucas was chosen to start the match ahead of close rival Will Genia, on the strength of his goal kicking prowess.
Outside centre Morgan Turinui has succumbed to a shoulder problem and has been replaced by the tough tackling Charlie Fetoai.
Mooney said Turinui had been favouring the shoulder in all three trial matches so selectors opted to rest him for the Bulls match and give Fetoai the opportunity, now that he's recovered from a knee injury sustained in the Reds' opening trial match against the Waratahs.
The Reds will take the field without Wallaby Hugh McMeniman, who has flown back to Australia due to an illness in his family.
Achievement
Hardman has 124 caps for Queensland and is one of 25 Queensland centurions, but will be the first to wear the red jersey in 100 Super Rugby games. Full-back Chris Latham played a total of 109 Super Rugby games, but ten of those were for the Waratahs before he moved north.
"It's a wonderful achievement for Sean and whilst there are no easy positions in a rugby team, I guess there is a little more merit in the fact that he is a front rower," Mooney said.
"Sean, as a credit to him, prepares very well and that's why he's been able to string together such a long career.
"We're all extremely pleased for him that he now reaches this milestone."
Reds: 15 Peter Hynes, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Charlie Fetoai, 12 Berrick Barnes (c), 11 Brando Va'aulu, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Ben Lucas, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Daniel Braid, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Adam Byrnes, 4 Van Humphries, 3 Dayna Edwards, 2 Sean Hardman, 1 Greg Holmes.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Laurie Weeks, 18 Robert Simmons, 19 Poutasi Luafutu, 20 Will Genia, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Mark McLinden.
