The hard-running impact of Queensland Reds backrower Joe Brial is to give the University of Queensland pack a lift for Sunday’s StoreLocal Hospital Cup preliminary final.
Brial has been cleared to return against Wests at GPS Rugby Club at 2.40pm after overcoming a shoulder injury.
Brial has made a major mark in his five games for University this season, including a superb display in the 26-all draw against premiers Brothers in early July.
He comes in for James Caton.
In the backline, there has also been a significant change with the elusive Kye Oates coming in at outside centre now an ankle niggle has healed.
Oates leads the Hospital Cup for linebreaks (21) which is a measure of his deceptive running and angles in his 14 games.
The Reds Heavies have also selected multiple premiership-winner Brad Twidale on the bench. He is on top of a quadriceps injury and will play back-up to teenage flyhalf Chace Oates, who had a strong game in the minor Semi Final win over Souths last Sunday.
“Joe is a good player to have back,” UQ coach Elton Berrange said.
“Wests are probably the biggest team from No.1 to No.15 in the comp and you’ve got to win the middle in any game you play against them.”
Berrange admitted the sting of missing the finals altogether last year was still relevant to the motivation with the senior players in the team.
“The senior guys who’d been part of that run of seven grand finals (2016-22) certainly felt the missing out,” Berrange said.
“There were certainly some desperate and sad feelings on grand final day last year when we hadn’t played for a month.
“We know how big a challenge it is facing Wests. They absolutely punched us in the face in the opening match of the season (43-17) so that’s been an easy game to reference in terms of having to be on your game against them.”
Wests coach Elwee Pinsloo said regular season results were unreliable because UQ bounced back to smash Wests 68-41 in June.
“The intensity and intent goes way up in finals so there’s no point taking those previous results into account,” Prinsloo said.
“What we do know is that UQ are very good where you have to be…good on counterattack, a very effective maul and good at the breakdown.”
The Bulldogs get back David Vaihu from suspension to start in the backline.
Lock Angelo Smith (calf) and prop Bronson Tauakipulu (leg) were being assessed at training on Thursday night.
