James Slipper admits it will be weird playing against Digby Ioane when the Queensland Reds host the Crusaders on Saturday night.
Former Reds fan favourite Ioane is set to play his first Super Rugby match for the Crusaders at his old home ground, Suncorp Stadium.
The 31-year-old lit up the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens last month - scoring a try against the Reds with his very first touch of the ball - but picked up a hip injury at the tournament that kept him out of the first two games of the season.
He looms as the danger man as the Reds look to put their season back on track after what Slipper described as a "sobering" fallout from last week's loss to the Western Force.
"It's going to be interesting and a bit odd playing against him, having played with him for a few years," the Queensland captain said on Friday.
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"Hopefully he has a quiet game.
"It's going to be great to see him out there.
"He's obviously a great addition for Super Rugby, it's good to see him back in the competition - albeit for the Crusaders."
Ioane, who played 35 times for the Wallabies, will go head-to-head with boom Reds winger Izaia Perese, one of Australian rugby's brightest prospects.
At only 180cm and 91kg, teenager Perese is almost a carbon copy of Ioane and is one of two Queensland players set for their starting debut.
The other is highly-rated lock Izack Rodda, who comes in for benched Wallaby Kane Douglas.
"It's always nice seeing new blokes coming into the team - they bring enthusiasm, and that's something those two players bring a lot of," Slipper said.
Slipper believes the Reds have addressed the issues that stemmed from their deflating 26-19 defeat to the Force - primarily their set piece, which was uncharacteristically feeble, and their decision-making in attack.
The Crusaders scored narrow wins over the Brumbies and the Highlanders in the first two rounds.
"The key is to worry about our game and not worry about the Crusaders too much. We believe if we put in an effort we're proud of, we can compete," Slipper said.
