Reds answer questions, seek more in crunch Chiefs clash
Murray Wenzel |
Breakdown menace Fraser McReight will push longer-term thoughts of finals football to the side when the Queensland Reds host the Chiefs in a telling Brisbane clash.
The Reds (6-4), equal fourth and nine points shy of the third-placed Chiefs, would find it near impossible to secure a top-three finish and home final without victory at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
The Chiefs (8-2) are four points – equivalent to one non-bonus-point win – from top spot and face a tricky run home against the Reds, Highlanders, Crusaders and Blues.
Both have a game in hand on the second-placed Blues and the Crusaders, who sit equal with the Reds.
It’s the last time in the regular season an Australian team will face any of the New Zealand sides currently occupying the top three spots on the ladder.
The Reds’ run home includes games away to the Western Force, Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua.
“Everyone deep down has those standards (they want to set) in their head,” Reds captain McReight said of the chance to make a statement.
“It’s a big game in the scheme of things but we’re not worried about that … there’s a lot of football left and we’re just chasing consistency and the challenge is to back up last week.”
The Reds beat the Crusaders and Brumbies and lost to the Blues in extra time before a hefty loss to the Western Force dropped them to sixth and left them licking their wounds.
“Definitely there were a few questions asked of us a month ago and I said at the time people don’t know how hard Super Rugby is,” McReight said.
“It’s about chasing that consistency and getting better and we’ve had a good month’s stretch.
“The Chiefs play a great style of football and so do we and we want to put on a performance.”
The Chiefs lead the head-to-head 4-3 in their past seven clashes and knocked the Reds out of the quarter-finals in back-to-back seasons in 2023-24.
But the Reds are 6-2 against New Zealand opposition in Australia.
McReight has hit 124 defensive rucks this season, 49 more than any other player in the competition.
On the opposite side of the field on Friday will be arguably the form man of Super Rugby, Quinn Tupaea.
The All Blacks centre comfortably led the player-of-the-year race when voting went behind closed doors a fortnight ago.
“It’s a massive game for us; a couple points off top and the Reds and Crusaders are coming up,” Tupaea said.
“It’s four or five points we definitely need … you always (feel that pressure from below) and we’re always chasing the top as well, and it’s pretty important to have home finals.
“We’ve got a big four weeks ahead of us and it starts now.”
AAP