Richard Graham shows sentiment doesn’t play a part at Reds following demotion of Saia Faingaa

SAIA Faingaa’s demotion to the bench for his 100th Super Rugby game is blunt proof there is no room for sentiment in Queensland Reds’ plans.

Saia Faingaa Reds Rugby training at Ballymore . Pic Annette Dew

SAIA Faingaa’s demotion to the bench for his 100th Super Rugby game is blunt proof there is no room for sentiment in the Reds’ plans.

Queensland coach Richard Graham has preferred James Hanson for the physical stoush against the Stormers at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow night.

Graham said their set piece standards were similar and the tiebreaker was Hanson injecting a little more in attack.

“It’s important we pick the team that gets the result,” Graham said.

“James’s work around the field has been very good and for us to build continuity he has certainly added a dimension to our attack.’’

The two high-quality hookers are neck-and-neck. Dreadlocked Faingaa has played 62 times for the Reds since he racked up 27 games for the Brumbies between 2006-08.News_Rich_Media: Reds coach Richard Graham is refusing to blame a number of contentious refereeing decisions for his side's defeat to the Lions on the weekend, insisting there were no excuses for the Queenslanders to surrender a 14-point lead.

“It’s obviously a big game for Saia,” Graham said. “One hundred games of Super Rugby is a very notable achievement and he has been extremely loyal to Queensland.’’

The bigger picture for Faingaa is that he will still get to celebrate the milestone with twin Anthony. Both will be vital weapons off the bench in the second half.

The resilience of the Reds will really be tested with bleak scan results on the muscle injuries to key flanker Liam Gill (hamstring) and fullback Aidan Toua (pectoral). They will now be sidelined for six and 10 weeks respectively.

The Reds are fortunate Gill’s replacement Beau Robinson is tuned into the battle expected from Stormers No. 8 Duane Vermeulen and his pack cohorts.

“It’s going to be a real bashfest. I’m pretty excited about that,” Robinson said.

“Momentum is everything to a season and we want to get some in this game and the home matches ahead.”News_Rich_Media: Inspired by their new mascot and an upcoming series of home fixtures the Reds are looking to get their season back on track

Graham said playmaker Quade Cooper was well aware of the intercept threat posed by master Springbok poacher Jean de Villiers in the centres.

“There are few with a better eye for an intercept but by the look of the weather it won’t be a night for long passes,” Graham said.

Graham has made a conservative call by overlooking rookie back Jamie-Jerry Taulagi for a spot on the bench.

His fast-stepping X-factor would have suited the bench because much of the Reds’ line-breaking threat has been denuded by injuries to Toua and Chris Feauai-Sautia.

Shifting Lachie Turner to fullback and playing Rod Davies and Dom Shipperley on the wings is rock solid but reliable utility Ben Lucas is a safety first call on the bench.

“Benny is a real competitor. He fights so hard, he’s had the two weeks with the squad in South Africa and we know what he delivers,’’ Graham said.

Losing Springbok forwards Schalk Burger and Tiaan Liebenberg has thrown down the gauntlet to the Stormers’ younger forwards to stir an upset at Suncorp Stadium like that of 2012.