Queensland Reds looking to sign up to six backs for 2015 Super Rugby season

QUEENSLAND coach Richard Graham believes the Reds need to sign six outside backs to cover the imminent departures in that area.

Qld Reds vs The Highlanders, at Suncorp Stadium. Will Genia and Ben Lucas after the win. Pic Jono Searle

QUEENSLAND coach Richard Graham believes the Reds need to sign six outside backs to cover the imminent departures in that area.

Aidan Toua, Rod Davies and Dom Shipperley are among at least seven players leaving the Reds at the end of the season.

The franchise has still to confirm whether Wallabies back James O’Connor will be one new signing, as has been widely speculated. Queensland will go into Saturday’s final-round Super Rugby encounter with NSW in Brisbane without halfback Nick Frisby. He suffered a broken jaw in last weekend’s loss to the Force. Frisby joins a lengthy injury list including first choice halfback Will Genia, five-eighth Quade Cooper, and other backs, Anthony Fainga’a, Chris Feauai-Sautia, Toua and Dom Shipperley, and forward Eddie Quirk.

They are also without livewire flanker Liam Gill due to Australian Sevens commitments.

Prop Greg Holmes is the only player scheduled to return from injury for the clash with the Waratahs.

Graham has identified defence as an area that he should have done better with this year.

The Reds have already conceded 459 points, an average of just more than 30 a game.

That’s over 160 points more than last season, with one game still to play.

“That’s the area that I’m most critical of myself in, where we’ve dropped off,” Graham said.

“We’ll make sure we work hard on that going into 2015.” He said a two-week review of the campaign would be undertaken at the end of the season.

Originally published as Queensland Reds looking to sign up to six backs for 2015 Super Rugby season