The Queensland Reds Development XV and Queensland Premier Rugby Challenger XV squads have been announced ahead of this month’s Queensland Rugby Challenger Series, which will feature an aligned women’s program for the first time.
Following the success of last year’s iteration, the Challenger Series will also feature several law innovations once again in-place across the two-game series.
Coaches for the four teams have also been finalised.
The squads are headlined by Bond University outside back Rhian Stowers who claimed the 2023 Alec Evans Medal as the best player in the StoreLocal Hospital Cup. Similarly, Sunnybank’s Ana Afuie – the 2023 Selena Worsley Medallist – has also been named and is set to line-up as one of five club representatives in the Reds Women’s Development XV.
In the Men’s ranks, 14 club prospects have been named in the Reds Development squad including Stowers, his Bond teammate Lochie Connors, GPS flanker Matt Gicquel and Easts back Meli Dreu.
Brothers’ rich vein of form in the second half of the StoreLocal Hospital Cup, which included six straight wins to claim the Premiership, has been rewarded with large representation across both men’s squads. Prop Jaiden Christian, lock Brad Kapa and backrower Noah Nielson have been named in the Queensland Rugby Challenger XV squad.
Bond trio Mel Wilks, Eva Karpani and Dianna Waight are among the names selected in the Reds Women’s Development XV while Easts outside back Piper Flynn – the top points scorer in the 2023 QPR Premier Women competition - is one of eight Tigers named in the Challenger XV.
Reds fans will have the opportunity to see new prop signing Jeffery Toomaga-Allen in action for the first time alongside a host of Reds regulars including Lawson Creighton, Josh Flook and Sef Fa’agase.
Regional Queensland is represented across all squads, with a third (32.4 per cent) of all players chosen hailing from a vast array of regions across the state including the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Bundaberg, Dalby, Esk and northern Queensland.
Incoming Queensland Reds head coach Les Kiss will take charge of his first unofficial game, leading the Reds Development XV alongside assistants Cian O’Connor (Souths), Liam Wright (Easts) and Jock Campbell (UQ) – the latter pair who join as coaches while completing injury rehab.
Kiss said: “The Challenger Series provides club rugby players with the opportunity to play at the next level while also offering the Reds squad valuable playing time to build cohesion ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby season.”
“Last year, 12 players who featured in the men’s Challenger Series went on to make their Queensland Reds debut and I’m looking forward to seeing who stakes their claim this year.”
Wests head coach Elwee Prinsloo will take charge of the Challenger XV with his coaching staff including Elton Berrange (UQ), Scott Higginbotham (ACGS) and Paul Brown (GPS).
Prinsloo said: “The Challenger Series gives our club players a chance to shine on a bigger stage. It's where local talent can become Super Rugby players and where our rugby community comes together to see new stars emerge.”
Simon Craig (Easts) will coach the Reds Women Development XV with his team comprising of Shannon Parry, Moses Rauluni (Easts) and Sione Fukofuka.
Craig said: “It’s great to see our Premier Women aligned in the Challenger Series for the first time.”
“Over the next three weeks, our women’s players will have the best opportunity to come together in an elite environment which will no doubt aid in furthering their development moving forward.”
The Women’s Challenger XV will be led by David Baldwin (Souths) with assistants Tony Wall (Brothers) and Matthew Bennett (Souths).
Baldwin said: “The Challenger Series is a fantastic initiative from the QRU that continues the development of similar initiates in recent years for women’s rugby and I am really excited about the opportunity that the series presents.”
In a bid to increase ball-in-play time, several innovations have been approved by World Rugby for the series.
The use of a ‘shot clock’ to manage time wastage on set pieces and rucks will be implemented. Other measures aimed at mitigating referee dissent will also be trialled including a 20m advancement of the penalty mark, and yellow card for reoccurring team offenses.
The two-game series will be played at Ballymore Stadium on Sunday September 17 and Sunday September 24.
Game One: Sunday, September 17
1:15pm: Queensland Reds Development XV v QPR Challenger XV (Women)
3:05pm: Queensland Reds Development XV v QPR Challenger XV (Men) Ballymore Stadium
Game Two: Sunday, September 24
1:15pm: Queensland Reds Development XV v QPR Challenger XV (Men)
3:05pm: Queensland Reds Development XV v QPR Challenger XV (Women) Ballymore Stadium
Head Coach: Elwee Prinsloo (Wests)
Assistants: Elton Berrange (UQ), Scott Higginbothan (ACGS), Paul Brown (GPS)
Forwards
Phransis Sula-Siaosi – Souths
George Francis – Souths
Jaiden Christian – Brothers
Harrison Usher – Bond University
Ben Murphy – Souths
Moli Sooaemalelagi – Bond University
Ollie Bartlett – GPS
Brad Kapa – Brothers
Adam Korcyzk – UQ
Jack Brady - UQ
Ratu Vio Batabasaga – GPS
Sean Farrel – Souths
Kohan Herbert – Souths
Connor Higgins - Norths
Backs
Cullin Cooper-Jones – Wests
Willem Johnstone – Souths
Jake Pappin – Easts
Tyler Campbell – Bond
Chris Kuridrani – GPS
Pio Nakubwai – Easts
Charlie Tupou – Wests
Shane Kennedy – Easts
Veresa Mataitini – GPS
Ben Navosailagi – Wests
Cooper Whiteside – Wests
Head Coach: Les Kiss
Assistants: Cian O’Connor (Souths), Liam Wright (Reds/Easts), Jock Campbell (Reds/UQ)
Forwards
George Blake – Bond University
Sef Fa’agase – Sunnybank
Jefferey Toomaga-Allen – Norths
Dane Zander – UQ
Baguilo Johnson-Tiumalu – Wests
Rhys Sheriff – Bond University
Josh Nasser – UQ
Max Craig – Easts
Will Sankey – Easts
Tana Wilson – Brothers
Christopher Minimbi – UQ
Connor Anderson – Wests
John Bryant – Souths
Lochie Connors – Bond
Matt Gicquel – GPS
Backs
Spencer Jeans – Bond University
Louis Werchon – Wests
Lawson Creighton – Brothers
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips – Souths
Josh Flook – Brothers
Shuan Anderson – GPS
Matt Smit – Easts
Mac Grealy – UQ
Tim Ryan – Brothers
Jordan Carera – Easts
Connor Chittenden – Norths
Meli Dreu – Easts
Rhian Stowers – Bond University
Head Coach: David Baldwin (Souths)
Assistants: Tony Wall (Brothers), Matthew Bennett (Souths)
Forwards
Tina Brown – Easts
Brooke Savelio – UQ
Nina Poletti – Brothers
Nena Williamson – UQ
Rosie Ebbage – Easts
Emiliya Byrne – GPS
Megan Prinsloo – UQ
Vei Koloamatangi – Souths
Asi Mafi – Souths
Mary Tuanna – Souths
Roni Setu – UQ
Leonia Tualangi – Sunnybank
Allana Sikimeti – Wests
Amelia Brown – GPS
Maggie McConnachie – ACT, Uni-Norths Owls
Luana Tongia – Sunnybank
Shannon Symon – Easts
Michelle Dreu - Easts
Backs
Maggie Glassock – Easts
Loretta Lialiifano – Easts
Georgie Wilson – Souths
Rebecca Davidson – Brothers
Gemma Lawrence – Wests
Kalisi Logopoa – Sunnybank
Taleah Ackland – Toowoomba Bears
Leka Tuanna – Souths
Michella Curry – Wests
Head Coach: Simon Craig (Reds/Easts)
Assistants: Moses Rauluni (Reds/Easts), Shannon Parry, Sione Fukofuka (Wallaroos/Reds)
Forwards
Bree-Anna Cheatham – Wests
Tiarna Molloy – Easts
Eva Karpani – Bond University
Deni Ross – Wests
Annabelle Codey – Easts
Haidee Head – Easts
Carola Kries – Souths
Kaipo Olsen Baker – Brothers
Madi Schuck – Easts
Cristo Tofa – Easts
Therea Soloai – Easts
Aleena Greenhagh – Wests
Hanna Lane – GPS
Joana Rabaka – Sunnybank
Backs
Sarah Lewis – GPS
Carys Dallinger – Easts
Ivania Wong – Sunnybank
Cecelia Smith – Sunnybank
Mel Wilks – Bond University
Alana Elisaia – Wests
Renae Nona – Sunnybank
Ana Afuie – Sunnybank
Ellie Draper – Souths
Dianna Waight – Bond University
Meg Jakins – Roma Echidnas
Time compliance
- Use of a shot clock on set plays (goal kick, penalty goal, scrum, line out)
- Additional referee required to manage initiating timer
- Use of a hooter applied when team exceeds time limit
- Addition of a 45-second restart following goal kick
- Free kick for non-compliance at point of restart.
Ruck
- Greater focus on effort to roll easts or wests
- Players can be sanctioned for intentionally preventing players from rolling
- No players can join attacking ruck one referee calls ‘use it’
- Free kick for non-compliance
Lineout
- Teams cannot add numbers to a maul established from a lineout
Advantage Law
- Advantage over is adjudicated following four phases of play, significant line-break or executed kick with positive outcome
Mark
- A mark can be taken anywhere inside a team’s own half
- Knockdown
- No intentional knock down
Referee Dissent
- 20m advancement of penalty mark
- Dissent inside attack 22m allows for penalty option in front of posts
- Reoccurring dissents results in a yellow card
