Super Rugby
Reds jersey is my favourite: Will Genia
ESPN Staff
June 2, 2015
Will Genia will play his final game in Brisbane in a Reds jersey on Saturday © Getty Images
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Veteran scrum-half Will Genia has described the extent to which his Queensland passion runs, revealing he cherishes the Reds jersey above all others.

Genia will play his final game at Suncorp Stadium in a Reds jersey on Saturday night where he will join former Queensland skipper James Horwill in waving goodbye to the Brisbane faithful. The duo will be looking to bow out with a win against title-contenders, the Chiefs, in front of what is expected to be a bumper crowd after the Quade Cooper-inspired victory over Western Force. And it's one likely to be further inflated by Genia's comments on Tuesday, the 27-year-old half-back channelling the sort of Queensland passion only usually associated with rugby league's State of Origin.

"I was speaking to James (Horwill) about it yesterday and he touched on it, he said playing for Queensland is very different to playing for any other team I think," Genia said. "It's obviously highlighted by the (rugby league) State of Origin side and the passion and the pride that they play with. I definitely feel that is the case here (at the Reds); I mean it's always been my favourite team to play for; it's always been my favourite jersey to put on in all the teams that I've been lucky enough to play for.

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"There's a very rich history, there's the tradition; there's all those sorts of words that describe how special it is to play for this team, but you can't really put your finger on it. It really is different being a Queenslander and playing for Queensland, and I just feel so lucky and so privileged to have had the opportunity to play for this team for a long period of time; I'll have some incredibly fond memories looking back."

While his Reds career will come to an end over the next fortnight, Genia may still feature at Test level beyond 2015 after the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) decided to relax its protocols on overseas eligibility. Having already fulfilled the seven years' Super Rugby contract requirement, Genia requires just a further three Tests to meet the 60-Test cut-off; something he is more than likely to achieve before leaving for Paris. And having told of his love for the Reds jersey, Genia also highlighted the honour of playing for the Wallabies in a move that may ease some outrage south of the border.

"I'm very similar to James (Horwill) in that I made my decision to leave knowing that I'd sacrificed the opportunity to play for the Wallabies," Genia said. "So if I'm lucky enough and I'm good enough, and I do reach that 60-Tests mark before I leave, it's obviously a bonus to be able to play for your country and there's no bigger honour. So, yeah as I said, form and all those sorts of things; they're the important things whether you're playing here or overseas as to whether you get selected. So we'll wait and see where that gets to."

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