by Paul Cook - The Queensland Reds finished their pre-season trials with a loss to the Rebels at Ballymore on Friday night but while an 18-13 defeat to their conference rivals wasn’t the perfect way to head into the new season next week, the greater concern was over playmaker Quade Cooper, who was stretchered from the field in the closing minutes in a neck brace. Slow to respond from a hefty – but legal – tackle with the game almost over, he was stretchered off as a precaution but with concerns growing for his welfare, the Reds issued a media release yesterday evening with some positive news. “Queensland Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper was sent to hospital for precautionary scans last night, following a tackle in the last minute of their pre-season match against the Melbourne Rebel