April 30, 2009 - 11:05AM

The Queensland Reds have suffered a major blow to their hopes of their first consecutive Super 14 victory in three years with Wallabies forward Hugh McMeniman ruled out of Saturday night's clash with the Brumbies.

McMeniman injured his ankle early in Thursday morning's training session at Ballymore and has been given no chance of lining up at Suncorp Stadium.

Last-start upset winners over the Blues, the 13th-placed Reds are awaiting a further examination to determine the seriousness of the rangy blind-side flanker's problem.

Queensland coach Phil Mooney has brought Scott Higginbotham into the Reds back-row while out-of-favour No.8 Leroy Houston has been elevated to the bench.

The Reds' last back-to-back win was on April 15, 2006 when they beat the Bulls 20-19 in Brisbane after sinking the Cats 23-16 the previous week in South Africa.

Meanwhile, former Wallabies prop Greg Holmes has re-signed with the Queensland Reds and Australian Rugby Union for the next two years confident he can add to his tally of 13 Tests.

Holmes announced his re-signing along with Reds loose-head understudy Ben Daley on a mixed morning for Queensland as they prepared for Saturday night's Super 14 match against the Brumbies.

"I'm enjoying my rugby and the direction the team is taking so it was a pretty straight-forward decision for me," said Holmes.

"There's a great feeling in the team. We might have been a bit up and down with our results this season but that's not a reflection on the mood within the team and the belief we have that success will come if we stick at it."

Holmes, the 2006 Wallabies rookie of the year, hasn't played a Test since the 2007 World Cup but backed himself to climb back into the international reckoning with NSW's Benn Robinson and Brumby Ben Alexander.

Youngster Daley showed Queensland were in reliable hands without Holmes when he impressed in three consecutive starts this season when the 42-cap stalwart was recovering from neck and shoulder injuries.

"Getting those opportunities this year did make me hungry for more games for Queensland playing Super 14 rugby," said the 20-year-old son of Manly league great Phil Daley.

"I definitely believe that being here at the Reds is the best place to launch that assault from."

Queensland: Mark McLinden, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Berrick Barnes, Brando Vaaulu, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Ezra Taylor, Poutasi Luafutu, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (capt), Van Humphries, Laurie Weeks, Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes. Res: Saia Faingaa, Jack Kennedy, Adam Byrnes, Leroy Houston, Ben Lucas, Charlie Fetoai, Anthony Faingaa.

http://news.rugbyheaven.com.au/break...0430-ao3j.html