Contract talks may not distract Reds, says Cooper

SYDNEY - Queensland rugby officials may be concerned about a player exodus to Perth but the buoyant Highlanders doubt off-field ructions will distract the Reds in Friday's Super 12 clash in Brisbane.

The playing futures of Reds' favourites Ben Tune and Nathan Sharpe are the focus of daily conjecture, particularly the plans of the Wallabies lock who will likely be stripped of the Reds captaincy for the remainder of this season if he follows former All Blacks coach John Mitchell to Western Australia.

Reds coach Jeff Miller remains confident Sharpe will remain at Ballymore and build on his 63-match Super 12 career with the Reds.

But if his key lineout forward announces in the coming days he is moving, Miller indicated he would have little option but to confer the captaincy on another player for the upcoming two-match trip to South Africa.

Tune, a 46-cap Wallabies veteran, could be announced as Mitchell's first major signing by next week, though the wing's decision is not seen as vital as Sharpe's, given he has only played 15 minutes off the bench in this year's competition since returning from serious knee injuries.

But the "will he, won't he? pontificating upon Sharpe and Tune meant little to Highlanders coach Greg Cooper yesterday as he plotted victory at a venue where the southern franchise have won only once -- in 1999.

"I've seen things like that before," Cooper said from the Highlanders' Gold Coast base.

"You go to South Africa and you find player issues but all of a sudden you get a side brimming full of motivation.

"I've never been able to figure out if it's a distraction or not, so we'll wait and see."

Regardless of who signs for where, Cooper considered Sharpe a major obstacle for his young second row of James Ryan and Tom Donnelly.

"It's a big task -- we hold him in high regard," said Cooper, who added the Reds' scrummaging had also surprised him.

"That's one area that's improved immensely. They destroyed the Hurricanes scrum."

Had the Reds had a reliable goalkicker against the Hurricanes, Cooper believed they would be placed higher than ninth.

"Across the park they're a very good side who haven't had their share of luck.

"If they kicked their goals against the Hurricanes they would have won. They outplayed the Blues at Eden Park. They didn't perform against the Crusaders, but not many sides beat the Chiefs at home (the Reds overcame the Chiefs 20-6 two weeks ago)."

Nor is Cooper getting carried away, publicly at least, with the Highlanders' resurgence which sees the unfancied franchise on the cusp of the top four.

"It's too early," cautioned Cooper, following his side's three straight wins against South African teams.

"At the moment we're OK but a couple of weeks ago we weren't sitting too good.

"We've just got to try and keep the momentum going. Confidence is the key to that."

A lack of injuries helps as well.

Cooper yesterday had the luxury of naming a team unchanged from the side that beat the Cats 16-12 in Johannesburg last week.

"The most important thing is coming out of South Africa without any injuries. It's quite physical and torrid there so that was the most pleasing aspect."

Reds coach Miller has not been so fortunate with the main casualty Wallabies vice-captain Elton Flatley.

His career is in doubt after a serious concussion sustained against the Crusaders on March 12.

If he fails to pass a fitness test tomorrow he will go to Melbourne and be assessed by a neurologist.

Highlanders: Ben Blair, Glen Horton, Anthony Tuitavake, Seilala Mapusua, Matt Saunders, Cameron McIntyre, Jimmy Cowan, Paul Miller, Josh Blackie, Craig Newby, James Ryan, Tom Donnelly, Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver (captain), Carl Hoeft. Reserves: Mahonri Schwalger, Clarke Dermody, Filipo Levi, Grant Webb, Toby Morland, Jason Shoemark, Neil Brew.

Reds: Chris Latham, Wendell Sailor, Junior Pelesasa, Steve Kefu, Drew Mitchell, Julian Huxley, Josh Valentine, Luke Doherty, David Croft, Tom McVerry, Nathan Sharpe (captain), Hugh McMeniman, Greg Holmes, Stephen Moore, Nick Stiles. Reserves: Sean Hardman, Rodney Blake, Rudi Vedelago, John Roe, Nic Berry, Scott Daruda, Peter Hynes.

- NZPA