Angus Blyth will make his long-awaiting return from a lengthy injury lay-off in Saturday’s trial between the Reds Development team and Souths.
The towering 2.05m lock is back to full fitness for the 4pm game at Chipsy Wood Oval now a minor back spasm is behind him.
The knee injury which wiped out the second half of 2023 is also history.
The 25-year-old forward clocked his 50th Reds’ appearance last season and is eager to apply his experience to a successful comeback.
Blyth and Connor Vest, who has made an off-season club switch from University of Queensland to Souths, will partner as locks for the Development XV.
The second development game of the season is putting valuable match minutes into the legs of players who will have roles to play in Super Rugby Pacific before the season is out.
Experienced former All Black Jeffery Toomaga-Allen is building up his match fitness as is inside centre Isaac Henry, who missed a big chunk of 2023 through injury.
Lawson Creighton is again at the helm as flyhalf.
“These development games are extremely important. We want players ready to play when a call up comes,” Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss said.
The match is also a reflection of how Souths have stepped up under head coach Garrick Morgan, who engineered a positive rebuild at the club in 2023.
Having Tongan head coach Toutai Kefu, a multiple premiership-winner with the Magpies, working on defence and ruck work is an extra plus.
“We were conscious of playing direct to start rebuilding our game last year so there was almost a dinosaur streak to our methods at times,” Morgan said.
“We’re expanding our game this year.”
In the backrow is Colt of the Year Jake Kurbatoff. He will partner Sean Farrell, back from a stint in Italy.
In the centres, powerfully-framed Vili Raboiliku has made the switch from Wests to the Magpies. He will partner former Super Rugby back Alofa Alofa in the centres.
