Age was not the biggest barrier for the Reds looking to celebrate Scott Higginbotham’s 100th game for the Reds with a bit of follicular frippery last week.
Fellow forward Lukhan Salakaia-Loto sent a text message to teammates early in the week encouraging them to grow a handlebar moustache to celebrate the efforts of “Higgy”.
While the Reds have a few players barely through puberty, it wasn’t the youngest members of the team that struggled most with the challenge.
Captain Samu Kerevi – who sported a pencil-thin moustache against the Jaguares on Saturday night, threw fellow centre Duncan Paia’aua and front-rower Ruan Smith under the bus.
“Duncan and Ruan, it’s a bit patchy, just real thin,” Kerevi said of their efforts.
“I don’t know if he’s hit puberty yet, there’s nothing much there.
“But Duncan says give him time, it’ll come good on Saturday.
“I think he’s going to use a bit of his Mrs’s make-up.”
There were some strong efforts though, with Salakaia-Loto and his fellow forwards in particular sporting fine tributes.
One of these things is not like the others
Rebels centre Reece Hodge had a minor mishap against the Waratahs on Friday night.
Hodge threw himself into a tackle on Kurtley Beale and when play stopped, the centre was staring at his hand.
One camera shot showed why – the 23-year-old had dislocated his pinky finger, with the digit sticking out at an awkward angle.
Hodge got the joint put back together and the played on but those pictures will last forever.
Cherry about to pop
Aussie Sevens star Emilee Cherry has officially finished training with the side as she prepares for the birth of her first child.
Cherry, who is due in July, began maternity leave this week, the first step in what will be a closely-watched journey for the 2014 World Sevens Player of the Year.
The 26-year-old is planning to have her baby and then turn her focus on an international comeback in time for Tokyo 2020.
Rona has a joke at his own expense
Waratahs winger Curtis Rona had a tongue-in-cheek response to suggestions that he should have been yellow-carded for a shoulder charge on Rebels winger Marika Koroibete.
Rona stopped Koroibete short of a near-certain try with a no-arms tackle that was punished with just a penalty.
Rebels coach Dave Wessels said the call was a “game-changing” one that should have been a yellow card or a penalty try.
As vision of the incident spread on social media, there was plenty of
Rona took the moment to take a light-hearted view of the clash, commenting on Instagram and Twitter, referencing both he and Koroibete’s NRL backgrounds and writing, “Play on 6 again…rugby league vs rugby league.”
Reds auction off Indigenous jerseys
The Reds turned out in jerseys designed by Murgon State High School Year 11 student Ayana Murray in the eighth edition of Indigenous round on Saturday.
Murray, a Wakka Wakka woman from Cherbourg, is a gratuate of the Reds’ Future Indigenous Leaders program and is now in the Reds’ Generation Next program.
The jerseys will be auctioned at redsrugby.com.au to help raise funds for the Queensland Rugby Union Indigenous Program.
Saturday’s Indigenous Round match also included the awarding of the Frank Ivory Medal – named after Queensland’s first Indigneous player – to the Reds’ player of the match, with flanker Liam Wright taking the honour after a tireless effort against a Test-level Jaguares pack.
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A Noble event to raise funds for Alex
A gala dinner named “A Noble Event” will be held on June 14 to help raise funds for injured teen Alex Noble.
Noble suffered a spinal injury after an awkward fall at training last year, and his recovery has inspired a social media movement, #IFightYouFight.
The 2019 gala dinner will be at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney, organised by Macquarie Telecom for whom Alex’s father Glen has worked for more than 20 years.
All funds raised will go towards aiding Nobel’s recovery and his ongoing medical expenses.
To buy tickets, click here.