Five things we’ve learned about the Reds in the lead up to the 2014 Super Rugby season

WHAT have we learnt about the Queensland Reds in their build-up to the 2014 season, which begins this weekend in Canberra?

GETTING a read on the highly competitive Australian Conference will be immediate with the Queensland Reds and ACT Brumbies meeting on Saturday night in Canberra.

What have we learnt about the Reds, the 2011 Super Rugby champions, in their build-up?

1 AIDAN TOUA. The athletic mover will be the new Reds fullback after two strong trials but don’t expect him to play all 16 games with the little hamstring niggles that regularly crop up. Adds a real cutting edge at No.15 as he showed in just 20 minutes in the losing trial against the Melbourne Rebels last Friday night.

Quade Cooper is carried from the field on Friday night.

2 HOW IMPORTANT QUADE COOPER IS TO THE SHOW. When the Wallaby five-eighth was stretchered off last Friday night in the trial, you could almost sense every rugby fan in Queensland holding their breath, too. He is that important to the Reds cause. Slick long balls and short passes have set up the Reds best attacks in the trials and the team’s creativity is locked in his head. No certainty to play in Canberra with his sore neck. If he doesn’t it will be a whole lot harder to win for the Reds.

3 SCRUM PENALTIES ARE AS MADDENING IN FEBRUARY AS AUGUST. Referee James Leckie blew a symphony on his whistle when there was a game of rugby trying to break out between the Reds and Rebels. Plenty of fraying tempers in the crowd of more than 8788 who had hoped a for a real Back-to-Ballymore spectacle. The Reds are stronger at scrum time this year but that means nothing unless you get on the right side of the ref.

4 LIAM GILL. Invaluable to the Reds. His speed to the ball and efficiency keeps the ball moving from the tackle areas. Speed is everything to make the Reds attack hum. Gill is all quality at openside flanker and his duel with David Pocock will be superb in Canberra on Saturday night.

Liam Gill has an important part to play in the Reds’ 2014 plans.

5 WILL GENIA IS RARING TO GO. The champion Wallaby halfback is rested and eager for a big 2014. He was exhausted and emotionally wrung out after the series against the British and Irish Lions last season.