Super Rugby: Aussie champions Queensland ready to rumble with New Zealand teams

Having conquered Australia, the Queensland Reds’ next challenge is to get the better of a host of Kiwi teams.

Still basking in the glory of their Super Rugby AU triumph, the Queensland Reds will embrace the challenge of taking on the best New Zealand has to offer.

After beating the Brumbies 19-16 in a thrilling grand final at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night, the Reds return to training on Tuesday ahead of their tough opening Super Rugby Trans-Tasman assignment on Friday night against the Highlanders in Dunedin.

Despite the likelihood that backline sensation Jordan Petaia will miss the match with a quadriceps injury he suffered against the Brumbies, the Reds won’t fear the Highlanders.

“From the organisation’s perspective it was a great result to finish off Super Rugby AU with a win, and now it’s about testing yourselves against the Kiwi teams,” Queensland Rugby Union CEO David Hanham said.

“They’ve got five strong teams so it’s going to be a really good test for us to see how much progress since we’ve made since we last played a Kiwi team.”

The Reds celebrate James O'Connor’s match-winning try against the Brumbies. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

That was on March 6 last year when the Crusaders beat the Reds 24-20 in Christchurch in the second last week of the Super Rugby competition before it was cancelled due to COVID-19.

“We lost there but it was a really tight battle,” Hanham said.

“The team are motivated and excited by this week. We’ve got a squad with good depth.”

With Petaia in extreme doubt, Wallabies winger Filipo Daugunu could be restored to Queensland’s starting line-up, while prized recruit Suliasi Vunivalu is another option if he has fully recovered from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him for several weeks.

The Reds play five successive matches against New Zealand teams, with three of the matches at home, including a match in Townsville on May 29 against the Chiefs.

Originally published as Super Rugby: Aussie champions Queensland ready to rumble with New Zealand teams