Cutting and running not an option, says Will Genia, it’s time for Reds to stand and deliver

WILL Genia is certain a stand-and-fight mentality has replaced the cut-and-run reaction of players when the Reds were last in such a hole.

Will Genia has praised the resilience of his teammates in a season in which plenty has been needed.

HALFBACK ace Will Genia is certain a stand-and-fight mentality has replaced the cut-and-run reaction of players when the Reds were last in such a hole.

There is a backbone that didn’t exist when the Reds lurched from one loss to the next in his earliest years, between 2007-09, Genia said on Thursday.

That fight must now surface from an understrength Reds side, with six significant changes, for Sunday’s afternoon duel against the in-form Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium.

Former Australian Under-20s captain Curtis Browning wins his first chance as a starting flanker, after five cameos off the bench, because of Ed Quirk’s rib injury.

“It’s obviously tough times on the back of four straight losses but the Crusaders are an easy team to get up for because they have been the benchmark for so long,” Genia said.

“In those tough years (2007-09), plenty of players were looking at their next move and other places where they might find success.

News_Image_File: Quade Cooper is tackled by Blues centre George Moala at Eden Park last week.

“The one common thing that threaded through for the guys who remained and went through our successes (2010-13) was it coming through hard work.

“No one is looking to cut-and-run. It’ll take hard work.

“The way we’ve turned around the Reds is worth fighting for.”

Between 2005-09, leading Reds players Nathan Sharpe, Drew Mitchell, Wendell Sailor, Stephen Moore and Rodney Blake were amongst the exodus searching for the winning vibe elsewhere.

Genia’s rallying call is for the Reds not to shrink away from their natural game because of a buffeting to confidence or injured bodies.

“We can’t lose confidence in our sense of adventure because we have got to actually play the brand of rugby we play,” Genia said.

News_Rich_Media: The Reds' Super Rugby season appears all but over after the Queensland side went down 44-14 to the Blues.

For starters, that means new wingers Dom Shipperley and Jamie-Jerry Taulagi being far less timid and roaring infield to be roaming targets for passes from Genia and Quade Cooper.

Prop Ben Daley is wonderfully combative but he has to find 20 per cent more as a scrummager to fill the void left by the suspended James Slipper.

In the end, Reds coach Richard Graham elected to start Browning rather than experiment with a heftier pack with lock Rob Simmons as a makeshift flanker.

Browning, 20, made two strong gallops in the pre-season trial against the Chiefs and more of the same will cure one of the Reds’ great failings.

Genia gave Graham a strong vote of confidence by saying he has the backing of the players.

News_Rich_Media: Reds captain James Horwill says it is hard to pinpoint exactly where things have gone so wrong for his side in recent weeks but insists they are determined to return to the winners circle this weekend.

“I think he has worked really hard, not just as a rugby coach but also as a mentor of the young blokes we have coming through,” Genia said.

“He’s done an outstanding job with helping these guys through as they learn how to train and play at this level.”

All Blacks great Richie McCaw is back in his traditional No.7 jersey for a Crusaders backrow without Kieran Read (concussion), last year’s IRB Player of the Year.

Reds skipper James Horwill (Wests), Cooper (Souths), Aidan Toua (Easts) Liam Gill (Sunnybank) and Quirk (Redlands) will be amongst the posse of Reds players heading to their old junior clubs on Friday night to promote the Family Round theme for Sunday.