BRISBANE - Playmaker Quade Cooper has escaped unscathed from a road accident but Queensland will need more luck to avoid becoming a car wreck in Friday night's Super 14 clash against the unbeaten Chiefs in Hamilton.
The injury-hit Reds will line up against the New Zealand side without their in-form
back three after strike weapon Digby Ioane joined fellow Wallaby Peter Hynes and flyer Rod Davies on the sidelines.
Ioane did not board the flight to New Zealand early on Wednesday after coach Ewen McKenzie opted to rest the winger, who has been battling a knee injury since the start of the competition.
"The feeling is that it's better to get it right," said McKenzie.
"With the short turnaround and with the travel there were a lot of things conspiring against us to get him right."
Tackle-shedding Ioane's surprise loss takes the number of backs injured in last Saturday's 27-18 loss to the Blues to five with back-up halves Richard Kingi (hamstring) and Tim Walsh (broken knuckle) also out.
The only good piece of luck for McKenzie was five-eighth Cooper emerging without a scratch from a car collision near his east Brisbane home at Bulimba on Tuesday evening.
Cooper said a young female driver failed to give way in wet conditions and ran into his vehicle as he went out for dinner.
"It wasn't anything serious," Cooper said from Brisbane airport before he flew out on Wednesday morning.
"It was a typical wet weather accident.
"It was a young girl and her mum with their family and she missed a give way sign but everyone is alright."
Ioane's loss means Melbourne Storm recruit Will Chambers is now odds-on to make his first run-on start in the Super 14 after three appearances off the bench.
Wallabies tourist Luke Morahan and Brando Va'aulu are the expected starters in the back three while McKenzie has also called up Blair Connor and Ben Tapuai in a 22-man squad.
It will be a huge task for whichever players are eventually chosen today as the attacking Chiefs are in hot form and thumped the Reds 50-24 last year when they were forced to pick then rookies Connor and Davies on the wings.
"It's not ideal having these guys out but these guys coming in are good players," Cooper said.
"Moza has toured with the Wallabies, Brando's a well-seasoned Super 14 player and Will has played plenty of big games in the NRL."
The car accident continues an up-and-down three months for the 11-test Wallabies back who is in career-best form after being cleared to play following burglary charges.
Cooper said his car needed repair work but was unconcerned about that.
"It will be fixed," he said.
"It is only a car. The main thing is that everyone was OK.
"I was more concerned for the young girl. She was OK but pretty shaken up."
Queensland squad
Forwards: Daniel Braid (vc), Adam Byrnes, Ben Daley, Saia Faingaa, Sean Hardman, Scott Higginbotham, Greg Holmes, Leroy Houston, Van Humphries, Jake Schatz, Robert Simmons, Laurie Weeks.
Backs: Will Chambers, Blair Connor, Quade Cooper, Anthony Faingaa, Will Genia (capt), Ben Lucas, Luke Morahan, Ben Tapuai, Morgan Turinui, Brando Va'aulu
- AAP
Reds first-five Quade Cooper escaped unscathed from a car collision in Brisbane on Tuesday. Photo / Getty Images
BRISBANE - Playmaker Quade Cooper has escaped unscathed from a road accident but Queensland will need more luck to avoid becoming a car wreck in Friday night's Super 14 clash against the unbeaten Chiefs in Hamilton.
The injury-hit Reds will line up against the New Zealand side without their in-form
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