Injured Reds players return home
The Reds, already the most penalised team in Super Rugby, were dealt a double blow ahead of their Round Six encounter with the Lions.
Two more players have returned home with injury.
It was confirmed on Wednesday that prop Ben Daley will be out for six weeks, after suffering a grade two medial ligament strain during last week's loss to the Sharks in Durban.
Daley was sent home for scans and will begin rehabilitation immediately.
Reds centre Chris Feauai-Sautia will also return home to Brisbane.
He trained Tuesday, and complained of hamstring soreness this on Wednesday.
He was assessed and it was determined he was not fit for selection – with a decision made that the best course of action was to return home for scans and treatment.
* Meanwhile the reds earmarked improving their relations with referees as major focus ahead of the trip to Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Reds are conceding 14.5 penalties per game, mostly at the breakdown, and can't afford to continue the ill-disciplined trend against the Lions.
Young Lions sharpshooter Marnitz Boshoff is the leading points-scorer in the competition and has led his underdog side to fourth place on the standings despite them scoring just 1.6 tries per match.
The Reds were undone by the referee Lourens van der Merwe's whistle in their 20-35 loss to the Sharks in Durban, pinged 15 to 10.
The Sharks built up a match-winning 25-6 lead before half-time, with goal-kickers Pat Lambie and Frans Steyn slotting three-pointers from six of the first seven penalties the Reds conceded.
Queensland's coaching box fumed with each one which went against them at the ruck, but they know they can't allow the Lions flyhalf, Boshoff, any shots at goal, even beyond half-way.
"Obviously he [Boshoff] is a threat," Reds goal-kicker Mike Harris told the Australian Associated Press.
"If we are going to be as ill-disciplined as we were on the weekend, we're going to be punished from anywhere from 60 metres out.
"We have to be really disciplined and get on side with the referee."
