Reds skipper James Horwill is facing time on the sideline © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Elsom comeback remains distant

Features: The Rebellion has begun

News: Waugh makes miracle recovery

News: Waratahs face up to Waugh injury

News: Rebels claim historic victory over Brumbies

Players/Officials: James Horwill

Tournaments/Tours: Super Rugby

Teams: Australia | Queensland Reds

The Reds will head into their pivotal early season clash against the Brumbies in Canberra next weekend without skipper James Horwill.

The former Wallabies lock, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the corresponding round last season, had to be helped from the field in the 33rd minute of his side's 30-6 loss to the Waratahs on Saturday and will miss at least a week with an ankle problem.

Horwill was one of four Reds players to pick up injuries in a bruising encounter in front of 33,846 fans at ANZ Stadium.

"Horwill's got lateral ligament damage, so it's not syndesmosis or anything but he definitely won't play next week," Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said.

"Rocket [winger Rod Davies] has got to have the cheekbone that he fractured last year looked at. Hynesey [Peter Hynes] hurt his knee early in the piece and Ed Quirk's got a rib issue that needs further investigation."

McKenzie promised a complete overhaul of a Reds game-plan that has failed to produce the fireworks seen last season. After a narrow win over the Western Force in round one they failed to turn up in Sydney this weekend.

"We were obviously disappointed after round one and we figured we'd work on a few things and maybe come back into it, but I think after tonight it's quite clear that we have to go back to the drawing board," McKenzie said.

"I'm not seeing the game the same as last year so we'll shift it. The Rebels did it in a week and that's what we'll have to do. We've got other things that we can do. We've just got to go back and say 'okay, what's working and what isn't?' So we'll be pretty honest in terms of that assessment and personnel-wise there's a few injuries there so we're going to have some fresh faces there."