Reds ready to fly players home pre-match if needed

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Reds ready to fly players home pre-match if needed

The Queensland Reds will fly any concerned players back from New Zealand to Brisbane pre-match if needed in the wake of Cyclone Alfred.

The unbeaten Reds face the Crusaders in Christchurch on Sunday but coach Less Kiss insists the looming threat in Queensland and ******** of the players’ families are far more important than a Super Rugby Pacific game.

“It’s obviously been in front of mind for us,” Kiss said on a Zoom call from Christchurch on Wednesday.

“Obviously the boys have spoken to their partners and families and we’ve assisted back from Ballymore, head office have assisted where they can, to ensure that that everyone is in a good place.

“But our thoughts are with everyone in Queensland at the moment, not only our friends and family, but for everyone in the south-east there and we just hope that it’s a bit of wind to bust it, but not too much rain and that everyone’s in a good place afterwards.”

With the match not taking place until more than two days after Cyclone Alfred is expected to hit the coast, Kiss said any players that needed to return home more swiftly would be assisted in doing so.

“We’re in discussion with one or two staff that we’re flying over as well. They may may change plans at this stage and ensure they can stay with their families,” he said.

“We’ll be able to adapt to those situations, but absolutely we’ll do what we can to ensure that.

“Any player or any staff member that they need to be somewhere, we’ll do what we can with flights and all those things.

“If we can’t do it directly, we’ll do it indirectly by getting people back home.”

Reds management have even moved the players’ cars parked at Ballymore to higher ground in readiness for any flooding.

Kiss said in more than 40 years involved in rugby league and union, he had never dealt with anything like this week’s predicted weather.

“A couple of times in Ireland, those storms can come heavily over the Irish Sea…when you’re travelling around, you’re getting the odd things happening but this is quite unique.

“It’s massively unpredictable and ultimately we’ve just made sure that everyone’s got access to everything they need.”

The Reds are chasing a third straight win to start their 2025 campaign after opening victories over Moana Pasifika and the Western Force.

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