Super Rugby

Waratahs make one change for Queensland Reds

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Waratahs Super rugby head coach Darren Coleman has named his team to play the Queensland Reds in Round 2 of the Super Rugby Pacific competition.

Coleman has made just one change to his starting XV that defeated the Fijian Drua in the opening round while adding four new faces to his bench.

In the only change to starting side Jeremy Williams makes his Super Rugby run-on debut for the Waratahs, replacing the injured Lachlan Swinton (shoulder) at blindside flanker.

Angus Bell, Dave Porecki, and Harry Johnson-Holmes again line-up in the front-row while Geoff Cridge and Jed Holloway combine to lock the Waratahs scrum

Jake Gordon, fresh off a man of the match performance in Round one where he led the side in tackles (15) and run metres (103), continues to develop his partnership with Ben Donaldson in the halves.

Lalakai Foketi and Izaia Perese form a dangerous midfield combination, with Perese displaying no letup in his destructive ball carrying from last season with six tackle busts against the Drua.

The back-three of James Turner, Dylan Pietsch and Alex Newsome remains intact from last week.

Off-season recruit Ruan Smith is set to make his Waratahs debut against his former side the Reds and will look to add plenty of impact to the Waratahs scrum late in the game.

The Waratahs prop was under no illusions as to what to expect from his former side.

“It will be good; it’ll be weird because it was not too long ago that I was there. I’m still close with everyone and have made lifelong friends there,” Smith said.

“It’ll be interesting, I’ll be throwing a few cheeky elbows at a few people and maybe rub some dirt in their face.

“I know how they think, and their coaching staff will tell them to step it up and get in our faces and be physical as that’s probably where they want to beat us.”

It will be a special night for Waratahs Academy graduate Langi Gleeson who is set to make his Super Rugby debut off the bench after impressing during the coaching staff during the pre-season.

Waratahs

Angus Bell, Dave Porecki, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jed Holloway, Geoff Cridge, Jeremy Williams, Charlie Gamble, Will Harris, Jake Gordon, Ben Donaldson, James Turner, Lalakai Foketi, Izaia Perese, Dylan Pietsch, Alex Newsome

Replacements: Tom Horton, Te Tera Faulkner, Ruan Smith, Max Douglas, Langi Gleeson, Jack Grant, Tane Edmed, Jamie Roberts

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