Reds name unchanged team for Super W Grand Final

The Queensland Reds have named an unchanged 23 to take on the Fijiana Drua in this Saturday’s Buildcorp Super W Grand Final at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
 
After defeating the Brumbies in last Sunday’s semi-final, the side are out to secure Queensland’s first Super W title since the competition’s inception in 2018.
 
The Reds have contested three finals in the competition's five-year history, falling on all three occasions to the New South Wales Waratahs.
 
Queensland head coach Simon Craig said: “The job’s not done yet. We started this thing late in October and I said it’s a job all the way through to the middle of May.
 
“Going into a Grand Final, you don’t want to have an easy game, you want to have a tough game to test your mettle and we certainly got that. The girls believe now, they know they can play 80-minutes and we’re going to have to on Saturday.
 
“We’re lucky we played them two weeks ago… we know what they’re going to bring. They’re very physical, they’ll try and dominate us through the middle and then they’ll shift wide, so we’ve got to win that collision zone.
 
“If we can bring the title back, the game is just going to grow here and it should grow.”
 
Black Ferns prop Cristo Tofa starts at tighthead prop alongside Wallaroos Bree-Anna Cheatham and Tiarna Molloy, with Deni Ross and Annabelle Codey rounding out the tight-five as locks.

Skipper Shannon Parry will start at openside flanker, partnering Carola Kreis and youngster Haidee Head in the backrow.
 
New Zealand duo Diane Hiini and Carys Dallinger start in the halves, while the competition’s leading point scorer Cecilia Smith will take her place at inside-centre after recovering from a knock in the semi-final.
 
Alana Elisaia runs on in the number-13 jersey, while Ivania Wong, who has played every Queensland Super W match in history, will start on the wing alongside Renae Nona and Fijian flyer Heleina Young in the back three.
 
Scrumhalf Sarah Lewis and utility backs Sam Curtis and Ellie Draper will provide spark off the bench for the backs, while Madi Schuck, Tazmin Shappard and Theresa Soloai make for an experienced front row bench rotation.
 
Tina Campbell and Hana Lane will also provide impact as finishers as Queensland look to take the Super W trophy back to Ballymore for the first time.
 
Watch the clash live on Nine Gem and Stan sport from 4:45pm on Saturday.

Queensland Reds v Fijiana Drua, Saturday 6 May, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville, 4:45pm. Watch Live on Stan Sport and Nine Gem.

1. Bree-Anna Cheatham – Wests – St Augustine’s College
2. Tiarna Molloy – Easts – Warialda State High School
3. Cristo Tofa – Ponsonby Rugby Club – Henderson Intermediate School, NZ
4. Deni Ross – Wests – Oak Hill College
5. Annabelle Codey – Easts – Somerville House
6. Carola Kreis – Bond University –  Columneetza Secondary, Canada
7. Shannon Parry (c) – Easts – Moreton Bay College
8. Haidee Head – Easts – Loudes Hill College
9. Diane Hiini – University of Canterbury Rugby Club – Ellesmere College
10. Carys Dallinger – Matakesi Rugby Club – Manukura School
11. Ivania Wong – Sunnybank – Balmoral State High School
12. Cecilia Smith – Sunnybank – Leeton State High School
13. Alana Elisaia – Wests – Cleveland State High School
14. Heleina Young – GPS – St Joseph’s Secondary School, Suva, Fiji
15. Renae Nona – Sunnybank – Cavendish Road State High School
16. Madi Schuck – Easts – Alexandra Hills State High School
17. Tazmin Sheppard – Bond University – Budehaven Community School, England
18. Theresa Soloai – Easts – Holland Park State High School
19. Tina Campbell – GPS – St Hilda’s School
20. Hana Lane – Wests – West Island School, Hong Kong
21. Sarah Lewis – GPS – Xavier Catholic College, Hervey Bay
22. Ellie Draper – Souths – Carmel College
23. Sam Curtis – College Rifles – Waimea College, New Zealand