Goondiwindi Produces Another Flier This Time On The Rugby Paddock
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday March 10, 2003
Gene Fairbanks doesn't have any grey in his hair, but he does boast certain similarities to that other famous sporting product from Goondiwindi.
The small township is best known as the home of celebrated racehorse Gunsynd, which won races on every grass track in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
Three decades on, Fairbanks, who hails from the same NSW-Queensland border town as the Goondiwindi Grey, is showing similar speed and staying power as the famed ``miler" did.
So far there haven't been too many highlights in Queensland's Super 12 season, with the Reds uncharacteristically squirming at the bottom of the ladder.
But the rise of two promising youngsters in the Reds backline halfback Josh Valentine and inside centre Fairbanks gives Queensland coach Andrew Slack some hope that the doldrums will not last forever.
Fairbanks, 20, made his first Super 12 appearance for the Reds, against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday, and did not waste the moment. While many teammates struggled around him, Fairbanks, when he had ball in hand, showed that the Reds have an authentic, exciting inside-centre.
Fairbanks was not among the tryscorers but did set up two of Queensland's three tries, putting five-eighth Elton Flatley away after an excellent midfield run in the 26th minute. And late in the game he again breached the Chiefs defence before offloading to winger Wendell Sailor.
These bright moments had the New Zealand television commentators raving and those in the Queensland and Wallaby camps relieved that there may be a competent No.12 in their midst.
At the start of the year, Fairbanks set as his goals a place on the Reds bench, a position in the Australian under-21 team, and a club premiership with Easts in Brisbane. If he continues to produce in the Reds midfield, his goals in a World Cup year may rise a few levels.
Although Queensland were conclusively beaten by the Chiefs, their performance was a big improvement on the previous week's, when they showed nothing against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
After their utterly predictable attack against the Super 12 titleholders, they at least had a bit of thrust at the weekend. That had a lot to do with Flatley returning to five-eighth.
The bye could not have come at a better time for the Reds, as they have an extraordinarily long injury list. Centre Steve Kefu and second-rower Rudi Vedelago have joined two of their most important players Daniel Herbert and Toutai Kefu on the sideline.
The mystery South African virus affected ACT for the second week running, as the Brumbies lost chief playmaker Stephen Larkham on the eve of their match against the Cats in Johannesburg on Saturday.
Jeremy Paul and David Giffin were hit by a virus before ACT's match against the Sharks the previous week, while without Larkham the Brumbies looked second rate against the Cats.
Mat Giteau played at five-eighth in Larkham's place and looked assured but had major problems with his sideline kicking.
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald
