Rugby: Reds in for blasting

Quade Cooper is the only fit first-choice back the Reds have. Photo / Getty Images

It is tempting to give the Hurricanes five points now when it is understood the Rough Reds seem likely to be the Ravaged Reds on Saturday.

Super 14 high fliers, the Hurricanes are drawn against the lowly Reds who now have an astonishing 16 players unavailable after their outing against the Crusaders on Friday night.

Of those 16 injured, 11 are front-liners, so only four fit men from their best 15 will line up against the Canes.

Adding to their terrible injury woes, back-rower Ezra Taylor (knee) and tighthead prop Laurie Weeks (thigh) copped knocks in the ugly 32-12 loss to the Crusaders and are in doubt for Saturday night's final-round clash at Suncorp Stadium.

More will be known about the seriousness of the injuries in the coming days but erratic playmaker Quade Cooper is the only fit starting back while tight-five veterans Sean Hardman, Van Humphries and Greg Holmes hold their places.

Coach Phil Mooney holds only the slimmest of hopes key trio James Horwill (foot), Berrick Barnes (groin) and Digby Ioane (shoulder) might recover in time.

"You'd have to think all of them are pretty doubtful," Mooney said of the eight players injured in the loss to the Brumbies.

The Reds have little left to play for in what started as an extremely promising season before losing four straight after their round six bye.

The loss in Christchurch ensured Queensland will finish in the bottom three for the sixth straight year.

But Mooney is looking forward to further testing the ability and resolve of his younger players, with the bulk in only their first or second Super rugby season, and gaining an early start on future plans.

The Reds were completely outgunned by the Crusaders but Mooney was proud of the way they fought to the bitter end after trailing 32-0 midway through the second half.

Rookie backs Richard Kingi and Ben Tapuai should receive more time against the Hurricanes after adding much-needed spark when they came off the bench to play a big hand in two late consolation tries.

Hard-tackling centre Charlie Fetoai was a stand-out for the visitors in both attack and defence.

Meanwhile, England are hot favourites to host the 2015 World Cup - because it's likely no one else can afford it. Australian rugby chief John O'Neill, in announcing Australia were abandoning plans to host the 2015 Cup, warned that IRB greed could leave the process a two-horse race, in spite of bids from Japan, Italy and South Africa.

O'Neill has said the Japanese might switch their interest to hosting an Olympic Games and Italy might be an early casualty of cash and/or politics.

The ARU said it couldn't risk committing to the tournament fees of £80m for 2015 and £96m for 2019, while asking the host union to foot the bill for all associated costs.

Ireland and Scotland pulled out of a joint bid for the 2015 competition on the same grounds.

However, the head of the International Rugby Board, Bernard Lapasset said: "An independent Deloitte report identified the total economic benefits as being up to £2.1 billion [$ 5.3b] for the host nation while the promotion of the country, the rugby and sports legacy and the feelgood factor are also major attractions for hosting Rugby World Cup".

He said the France organising committee made a £70m surplus. The IRB will announce the host nations for both tournaments on July 28.

- AAP