JOC looms as perfect 10 solution for Reds

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JAMES O'Connor is bursting to take out his frustration by making his Reds debut at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night when coach Richard Graham must thrust him into the problem playmaking role.

The 44-Test Wallaby's utility value has never been more crucial because the disappointing Reds need a major shake-up to get things right against the Western Force, who rattled them twice into tight losses last season.

Ditching the Karmichael Hunt experiment at No. 10 after just one game would be no knock on him because it was only ever a fill-in assignment and the Reds backline stocks have been scrambled again.

Losing fullback Jamie-Jerry Taulagi with a knee ligament injury and replacement flyhalf Duncan Paia'aua to a head knock was the fallout in Canberra last Friday night beyond the multiple deficiencies shown in the lame 47-3 tumble to the ACT Brumbies.

Karmichael Hunt debuted at No. 10 for the Reds in the loss to the Brumbies. Source: Getty Images

Inserting prize recruit O'Connor at No. 10 would give Hunt the extra room to operate as a passing linkman, opportunist and runner from fullback where he is far better suited at this stage of his rugby education.

The closest O'Connor got to the action in Canberra, as a spectator in the Reds camp, was being all set to run out the kicking tee to Hunt when no one seemed in a hurry to get one to him.

He hasn't played since before Christmas because of a knee injury picked up with French club Toulon but feels last week's progress at training has him on the brink.

"I'm hoping I'll get the all-clear (on Monday) to fully train with the team and prepare for my first game with the Reds," O'Connor said.

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"It was tough watching the team from the sidelines on Friday night and not being able to contribute so hopefully I get my opportunity against the Force next Saturday."

O'Connor outlined his discussions with Graham when he signed on with the Reds were angled around a wing role.

"Richard and I were open with everyone from the beginning about my best fit for the team being on the wing roaming but I am more than excited to just get out there and play wherever he and the team needs me," O'Connor said.

"If that's at No. 10 at the moment or wing or fullback then I'll do my job the best I can. I have played a number of positions at Test and Super Rugby level and am confident I'll be able to handle whatever is asked of me."

James O'Connor is itching to make his debut for the Reds. Source: News Corp Australia

Graham admitted he had some thinking to do to piece together the right backline mix.

The Reds desperately needed two playmakers at flyhalf and fullback to best unlock power runners Samu Kerevi, Chris Feauai-Sautia and Chris Kuridrani.

"Absolutely, I'll consider James's case as a No. 10 but I also wouldn't judge K in the position just on Canberra when there were 15 players in Reds jerseys under pressure that night," Graham said.

Graham might also consider keeping Hunt at No. 10, playing Lachie Turner at fullback and O'Connor as a livewire, roaming winger.

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Turner out indefinitely with spinal injury

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RABBITOHS premiership-winning forward Kyle Turner is facing an indefinite absence from the game after suffering a neck injury in the All Stars clash on the Gold Coast.

Turner was admitted to Gold Coast University Hospital following Friday's match at Cbus Super Stadium.

The 22-year-old left the field in just the fourth minute after he was hit hard by NSW captain Paul Gallen.

FULL NRL CASUALTY WARD

Gallen was placed on report for the tackle but the NRL Match Review Committee did not issue any charge after reviewing the incident.

Turner's mother Leanne took to Facebook on Sunday to update friends and family on his progress.

Kyle Turner down injured. Picture: Adam Head Source: News Corp Australia

"As a parent you try to prepare yourself for whatever may come seeing your son live his dream but it's heartbreaking to see him get injured," she wrote.

"Kye is ... awaiting the MRI results, CT scan reveal he has a protruding disc on his spine and has pain, pins and needles in his arms and hands.

"He will be out indefinitely, we are worried sick."

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Turner cut a sombre figure in the indigenous All Stars dressing room after the match with coach Laurie Daley making special mention of his efforts during the week.

Turner did not seem visibly distressed following the match but it is possible he suffered an injury to a disc in his spine which was causing pain and pins and needles in his arms and hands.

A hospital representative said Turner had been discharged on Sunday.

Rabbitohs officials were unavailable for comment given the team was travelling to England to be part of the World Club Challenge.

On Saturday night, coach Michael Maguire said Turner had been hospitalised as a precautionary measure and his injuries were not expected to be serious.

"He's all right," Maguire said after the Rabbitohs' trial at Redfern Oval.

"He's still up (on the Gold Coast), we kept him in hospital overnight just to make sure but from what I've been told he should be right."

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However, it is now looking as though the back-rower, who came off the bench in last year's NRL grand final win over Canterbury, may be rubbed out for an extended period.

There were concerns over Turner given he suffered a number of concussions last year, an issue which has been closely monitored by the Rabbitohs and NRL.

A chorus of boos went around Cbus when replays of the Gallen tackle screened with Indigenous captain Johnathan Thurston questioning Gallen for the apparent elbow he dropped on the dazed Turner's face.

All Stars founder Preston Campbell said the tackle sparked the Indigenous team.

"It was a very spirited performance from both teams. No one slackened off," he said.

"When Gal roughed up one of the boys early in the game, it showed it was just as real for the NRL team as it is for us.

"Even though you don't want to see that sort of stuff, it was a signal.

"They were always going to put their hand up and bust their guts to do their best to win that game.

"A lot of people didn't think they'd go as good as they did."

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Dunn appeal to decide Deep Field rider

Dwayne Dunn will appeal to the Racing Appeals & Disciplinary Board against the severity of a suspension. Source: News Corp Australia

AN appeal by jockey Dwayne Dunn this week to have a day shaved from an eight meeting suspension will provide a dramatic build-up to the long-awaited clash between the world's highest-rated sprinter Lankan Rupee and the undefeated Deep Field in Saturday's Black Caviar Lightning Stakes (1100m) at Flemington.

Dunn will appeal to the Racing Appeals & Disciplinary Board against the severity of a suspension and hopes the RAD Board will hear his appeal before Wednesday's acceptance deadline for the Flemington meeting.

Chief steward Terry Bailey said the interference fell into the low range and they had taken into account that Dunn had made an effort to limit the interference and that he would miss the Group 1 meeting.

However he noted the infringement was in a Group 3 race and commented that Dunn's record didn't allow for any discount when assessing penalty.

Dunn is locked in as the rider for Deep Field, the four-year-old entire who has won all five starts, the latest the Group 2 Tab.com.au (1200m) at Flemington on November 1 with Dunn aboard.

Co-trainer Wayne Hawkes said the stable would wait for the appeal and would "back Dwayne all the way."

"We haven't done anything to about a replacement rider. I had 10 texts last night (Saturday) and there would be 400 blokes wanting to ride him. He (Dunn) is our stable rider and we will roll the dice and see how he fares," Hawkes said.

The Lightning will be the first showdown of the top bracket of sprinters this autumn.

Deep Fields is rated the $5.50 equal second favourite for the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 14 with Terravista behind stablemate Chautauqua $3.50m with Lankan Rupee ($6.50) and Brazen Beau ($8) the cream of the sprinting crop and only runners under double figures with the TAB.

Chautauqua returned with a narrow but impressive victory in Saturday's Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield and has returned in good condition.

Lankan Rupee had an exhibition gallop on the course proper and was awesome, running his last 400m in 21.84s and his last 200m in 10.87s.

Hawkes knows that the Lightning will be Deep Field's toughest assignment.

"Lankan Rupee will be ready to rock. It will not be a walk in the park. He will not be easy to run down.

"We are under no illusions that it is not a matter of putting the saddle on him (Deep Field) and going around and winning."

Mick Price is delighted with Lankan Rupee, who has returned in outstanding condition and form _ similar to his stellar autumn last year that netted him the title of Australian Horse of the Year.

"I couldn't be happier with the way he is going, and the fact that he is learning to settle off the pace a bit to have one good final burst," he said.

Craig Newitt, who has ridden the champ 13 of his 20 starts, will return from Singapore to ride Lankan Rupee in the Lightning Stakes.

Lankan Rupee will contest the Lightning and then the Newmarket, followed by the TJ Smith in Sydney.

Hawkes said Chautauqua would head to the Newmarket and the TJ Smith while Deep Field is also likely to take that path.

Joe Pride has nominated Terravista, who split Chautauqua and Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 Darley Classic at Flemington in the spring, for the Newmarket Handicap only this Melbourne carnival, as well as the TJ Smith.

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Horwill avoids ban, still seeing red

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PACK leader James Horwill has escaped a suspension but the Reds have failed in a bid to downgrade the red card that will be a burden on his record for the rest of the season.

The most important outcome is the long-time Test lock being clear to play at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night when the Queensland forwards have to muscle up against the impressive Western Force pack.

Former All Blacks backrower Adam Thomson is certain to come in to rearm the Reds pack to give it more sting.

The ferocity of the Force effort upfront, even without injured Wallabies flanker Matt Hodgson, bankrolled Sunday's 25-13 upset of the champion NSW Waratahs in Sydney.

James Horwill copped two yellow cards against the Brumbies. Source: News Corp Australia

The ACT Brumbies crossed twice for tries in a 14-0 king-hit when Horwill was in the sin bin for his first breakdown offence in Canberra last Friday night and scored another when he copped his second yellow card in the closing minutes.

"Horwill has a good disciplinary record and the breaches were not of such character, for example foul play, as to require sanction in this case," SANZAR judicial officer Nicholas Davidson QC after the matter was dealt with at Ballymore on Sunday.

The Reds' poor discipline put them on the wrong end of a 17-8 penalty count which led to multiple general warnings to the team from referee Angus Gardner that they were in yellow card territory.

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New Reds skipper James Slipper said he'd given his team a half-time shot about improving their discipline which is now a must against the Force.

"This is a warning to players and teams that the judiciary regards team warnings as a responsibility for all players to heed," Davidson said.

"The player knew of the general warning for breaches at the breakdown, then transgressed in the form of a technical infringement. He was off the field when the second general warning was given by the referee for infringing at the maul, but then reoffended upon his return."

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Horwill seemed hard done by when receiving the first yellow card for not rolling away when Brumbies lock Sam Carter had slammed him to the ground from the Reds side of the ruck.

Melbourne Rebels halfback Nick Stirzaker scooted 55m for the winning try against the Crusaders last Friday night but has ended up with a one-match ban.

Davidson found that Stirzaker had been reckless with his stamp to the groin of Crusaders flanker Richie McCaw early in the match.

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Blue Diamond is off the Agenda

Fontiton is the $3 favourite for the Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield on February 28. Source: Vince Caligiuri / Getty Images

GUN filly Secret Agenda has a leg fracture and will be out of action for at least three months, ending her Blue Diamond campaign.

The Mick Price-trained two-year-old was the $4.60 second favourite for the $1 million Group 1 Diamond (1200m) until she suffered interference and a lacerated leg when 11th to Fontiton in the Diamond Prelude at Caulfield on Saturday.

She requires surgery to her near-side lateral split bone and Price said she would be off the scene for at least three months.

Her exit is part of a major shake-up for Victoria's premier juvenile feature with flying filly Fontiton now the $3 favourite with the TAB, and as short as $2.75 with corporate bookmaker Sportsbet and $2.80 with Sportingbet.

Before Fontiton won her third consecutive race in dashing style at Caulfield in the Prelude, she headed markets highlighted by other fillies but is now her against three colts under double figures.

Bookmakers figure that the Robert Smerdon-trained filly would need to draw a horrendous barrier or suffer race interference to be beaten, as she has run faster times than the boys colts and will get a 2kg weight advantage in the final on February 28 on her home track.

Secret Agenda with jockey Katelyn Mallyon. The horse has a leg fracture and will be out of action for at least three months. Source: News Corp Australia

Damien Oliver, who has been the regular rider for Secret Agenda, now is likely to jump aboard the Tony McEvoy-trained Stoker who won the Inglis Premier at Sandown last week.

Also missing from the Diamond will be another fancied filly, Antelucan, who will return to Sydney.

Trainer John O'Shea said she would not recover from the rough race in which she finished 14th.

However he will add blinkers to colts Sampeah and Bantam, third and seventh respectively in the boys' division.

Sampeah came from the rear of the field to be beaten into third by two-and-three-quarter lengths by Of The Brave and Pride Of Dubai.

O'Shea said he would apply the blinkers to have him a bit closer in the run and was pleased he ran home so well at his first look at Caulfield.

Connections will pay a $50,000 late-entry fee for Pride Of Dubai, who stormed home to run the unbeaten Of The Brave to a short half-head. The TAB responded by installing the colt the $4 second favourite for the race, but corporates have him at $5.

Fontiton has set some sizzling times in trackwork. Source: News Corp Australia

Peter Snowden believes there is considerable improvement in the colt, as does Mark Riley with Of The Brave who was first-up since October, and neither has conceded the Diamond to Fontiton, although they accept she is the one to beat.

Meanwhile Danny O'Brien will know by the weekend if he will have a runner in the race.

He will trial Maribyrnong Plate winner Prompt Return at Flemington on Friday and then determine if he progresses to the Diamond.

Regazzo Del Corsa, who was scratched from the Prelude on Saturday, has been saved for Saturday's Talindert Stakes (1100m) because of his liking for the track.

Both are guaranteed a start in the Diamond if O'Brien takes that route.

GROUP 1 BLUE DIAMOND STAKES (1200m)

Caulfield, February 28

$3 Fontiton

$4 Pride of Dubai (NN)

$5 Of The Brave

$7 Sampeah

$12 Lake Geneva

$14 Flamboyant Lass

$18 Air Apparent, Miss Gidget, Stoker, Thurlow, Top Me Up

Odds: TAB

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Reds must aim up and flip form book

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A CRAZY Super Rugby round with four upsets has heads spinning but not half as much as those in the Reds bunker pondering how to fix the calamitous start in Canberra.

The 44-point loss to the ACT Brumbies highlighted new problems and some worrying old ones for the Reds who have a nine-game struggle ahead while Quade Cooper is injured.

Just how much subtlety and precision disappears from the attack without him was driven home last Friday night when the Reds didn't make a single line break compared to the eight of the ACT Brumbies.

One of the most frustrating sights of a struggling team is how huge effort manifests itself for no reward. It was those one-out runs that the Reds made no progress with against an organised defence like the Brumbies.

Lack of line-busting power from the forwards was a huge flaw last season and it was exposed again with backrowers Jake Schatz and Curtis Browning never showing the knack.

Curtis Browning and his Reds teammates failed to break the Brumbies line. Source: Getty Images

It was less of a surprise than some might think because it was largely the same faces in the pack because new turbo Adam Thomson didn't play and Japanese Test backrower Hendrik Tui is not due to arrive until next month.

The Reds have shredded all expectations about themselves for this season with that lamentable 80 minutes in Canberra which must light a fuse of healthy anger to produce an immediate turnaround.

It's ridiculous to judge a footy team on one performance but the shake-up in intensity, discipline and organisation must be immediate to produce a bounce-back against the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Playing two bull-at-a-gate centres like Samu Kerevi and Chris Feauai-Sautia might work if you have plenty of passing dexterity around them. They desperately need two playmakers to unlock their best and show them the holes to exploit.

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Picking James O'Connor at flyhalf and Karmichael Hunt at fullback is the best fit for the Reds. You get the most experienced available man at No. 10 and Hunt to operate out wide with some passing touches too.

Perhaps the player missed most in Canberra was experienced centre Anthony Faingaa, who always leads up the backline defence with aggression and organises so well. Both were missing elements.

This is going to be a wildly fluctuating pre-World Cup season if five wins on the road in the first round is the yardstick.

The Cheetahs knocking off the Sharks in Durban was almost as big a shock as the Rebels storming Christchurch for a brilliant breakthrough win and the Force upset of the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.

It's now up to the Reds to flip the form book, transform in a week and knock off the Force or the alarm bells for this season will be sounding.

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Big moments: team hat-trick, 30 off an over

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A team hat-trick, a couple of incredible catches and two of the best centuries you'll see in a one-day match.

Day two of the Cricket World Cup was full of entertainment from start to finish.

Here are the big moments from the two matches.

PROTEAS NAB NERVY WIN OVER ZIMBABWE

INDIA HAMMERS PAKISTAN IN GRUDGE MATCH

INDIA v PAKISTAN in Adelaide

* Getting pumped up. The arrival of India's star batsman Virat Kohli gave India's fans a lift in the eighth over. It certainly fired up Pakistan bowler Sohail Khan, who followed through all the way to where Kohli was standing after Kohli faced his second delivery. Nose to nose they stood.

Pakistan bowler Sohail Khan (C) is restrained by teammates Shahid Afridi (L) and Umar Akmal. Source: AFP

* The apology. Kohli has had various arguments with Australian players this summer but when Pakistan's Shahid Afridi threw a ball into Kohli's back, the batsman flashed a big smile in response. Afridi gave Kohli a friendly pat on the back to show there were no ill feelings.

* Full toss. Mohammad Irfan didn't enjoy getting hit around in the 45th over, first bowling a full toss to Kohli at chest level which Kohli argued should have been called a no-ball, then bowling another full toss at Suresh Raina in the same over.

India batsman Suresh Raina ducks to avoid a bouncer by Pakistan's Mohammad Irfan. Source: AFP

* The team hat-trick. Paceman Sohail Khan kissed the turf to celebrate his five-for, which came via two wickets from consecutive balls in the 50th over. This completed a team hat-trick after Ravindra Jadeja was bowled at the end of the penultimate over.

* Chin music. In a format which encourages big hitting with big bats to roped-in boundaries, it was encouraging to see Mohammad Shami remove Pakistan opener Younus Khan with an unplayable bouncer in Pakistan's fourth over.

Younus Khan was brought unstuck by this beauty from Mohammad Shami. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Corp Australia

* The Review. A third wicket fell for just one run in Pakistan's middle order when MS Dhoni called for a video review and had a caught-behind decision overturned against batsman Umar Akmal for a duck. Wasn't India supposed to not like DRS?

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SOUTH AFRICA v ZIMBABWE

* Like a fish out of water. Tinashe Panyangara put forward his nomination for the funniest wicket-celebration at a World Cup with a hilarious 'fish out of water' routine.

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* De Villiers shows he's human. So often South Africa's superstar batsman simply looks like he can't get out, but he looked decidedly fallible when he was dismissed by Tafadzwa Kamungozi.

* Amazing catch part 1. Craig Irvine took a brilliant catch on the boundary, leaping high and plucking the ball out of the air before landing, throwing the ball back inside the just before he overbalanced, and then jumping back inside the field of play in time to take the catch.

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* Amazing catch part 2. Just a few minutes later Irvine's catch had been overshadowed by a spectacular one-handed grab in the crowd that is set to earn one lucky punter a big pay day. Even more impressively, he didn't spill his beer.

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* 30 runs off one over - David Miller's brutal hundred was encapsulated in one over from Solomon Mire, with three sixes and three fours hit for a total of 30 runs.

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* Solomon smashes it out the park. Mire got some form of revenge late in Zimbabwe's innings when he belted an enormous six off Morne Morkel that sailed outside the ground and across the road, a full 103 metres off the bat.

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Blackboard Special selects top gear

Michael Cahill wins on-board Blackboard Special at Doomben. Source: Tara Croser / News Corp Australia

GRAFTON trainer Wayne Lawson was the most relieved man on course when Blackboard Special made a triumphant return in the 0MW.

"It's unbelievable what we've been through with this horse," Lawson said. "We've spent a fortune trying to find out what's wrong and the worst thing is that every vet said they couldn't find anything.

"So we've just had to be patient and tinker with his gear.

"I've worked on him for the past six months and it call came down to 60 seconds on the track. It's a relief and he's done a huge job to win." Lawson feels Blackboard Special's problems date right back to his first ever start, where he ran off the track when second at Grafton. The trainer said the horse got his tongue back and couldn't breathe and he believes that instilled fear, which fuelled his habit of running off the track.

"The tongue control bit seems to have worked," Lawson said.

Todd Howlett and Tim Bell were justified in their confidence for runaway Open winner Aghamore, who gave NSW trainers three winners on the card after Blackboard Special and Espiritu.

Bell was happy to bide his time finding the front and was then left along, allowing him to zip home in 33.37, giving his pursuers no hope. "I'm loyal to Caitlin (Lavin), but I told her 'I can't ride Pickabee today, I'm riding the winner.' Todd was super confident about his chances," Bell said.

After paying his dues with several near misses, Upstart Pride had his day in the sun when leading throughout at Doomben yesterday.

Ric McMahon after winning on Upstart Pride. Source: News Corp Australia

The Michael Nolan trained grey attracted a boom after winning at Eagle Farm on debut in slick time, but had come up just short in four subsequent city attempts, albeit never finishing worse than fourth.

Yesterday, Nolan was armed with a specific plan and jockey Ric McMahon obliged.

"We came here with the plan to do just one thing. Once he drew the outside, I decided I just wanted him to lead," Nolan said.

"I told Ric not to worry about trying to get one off the fence, I just said 'give him a dig and go to the front.' "He did a lot of work last time and Ric said he might have been a bit keen in the blinkers, so today I was single-minded. I felt the step to 1200m meant it would be a slightly different tempo and he may get a breather in the middle stages and fortunately it's all worked out perfectly." Nolan admitted he had no idea what happened when Upstart Pride was beaten at $1.40 at Toowoomba two starts back, but the blinkers have worked in his past two outings.

Meanwhile, Grafton trainer Wayne Lawson was the most relieved man on course when Blackboard Special made a triumphant return in the 0MW. "It's unbelievable what we've been through with this horse," Lawson said. "We've spent a fortune trying to find out what's wrong and the worst thing is that every vet said they couldn't find anything.

Helen Page was surrounded by a big team of thrilled owners after Powerful Saga lowered the colours of odds-on favourite Tibrogargan Miss in the opening event.

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