Ben Daley says Reds are ready to smash high-flying Waratahs ‘into the grandstand’

ENFORCER Ben Daley has promised the Reds are ready to smash the fancy-footed Waratahs “into the grandstand” to stall their drive at the title.

Ben Daley of the Reds during the Super Rugby match between the Queensland Reds and the Cheetahs. Pic Darren England.

ENFORCER Ben Daley has promised the Reds are ready to smash the fancy-footed NSW Waratahs “into the grandstand” tonight to stall their drive at the title.

Prop Daley didn’t let his anger fester when Queensland legend Stan Pilecki said the “mollycoddled” Reds showed little pride in the jersey with a soft loss in Perth last weekend.

He sought out Pilecki and told “Stan the Man” how much the comment irked him when the team was as committed as ever, despite being 12th.

“Questioning our effort cut deep because former players like Stan have been our idols growing up,” the feisty Daley said.

“A lot of the guys, me included, felt it unwarranted and I told him face-to-face which is pretty close in Stan’s case.

“The Queensland-NSW ­rivalry is something to be ­revered and we just got extra motivation.”

Lighting such a fuse for aggression from the Reds is rarely needed in interstate week but every dollop will help at Suncorp Stadium tonight.

It’s now or never to purge the inept moments in defence that are conceding 30 points a game.

Victory would be the biggest Reds upset over the Waratahs since Toutai Kefu’s 2003 side were last-placed until a 35-23 stunner in Sydney.

“The Queensland-NSW angst and feeling on the field is something special and we feed off that. You saw it midweek in Origin,” Daley said.

“You build yourself up to a frenzy.

“These games against NSW are always quite brutal and with some niggle and I don’t see this one as any different.

“The Waratahs deserve to be on top of the table but we love a big scalp. See a blue jersey and you literally see red and want to put it over the sideline or into the grandstand.

“The colours were brighter and Queenslanders were smiling a lot more when they woke up the day after Origin and hopefully they’ll feel the same on Sunday.”

Daley will be used off the bench to incite a physical second half because any Reds success will be driven by sustained, strangling authority from the pack.

Waratahs coach Michael Cheika on Friday welcomed a night in the snakepit, as he calls Suncorp Stadium, for the toughening it will give his side for the finals.

“It’s not an easy place to win when the crowd gets into it,” Cheika said.

“We want the Reds to be physical, we want them to come at us. We want that because it’ll be the best preparation you can get for a semi-final in two weeks.”

Losing the injured Israel Folau closes the gap between the sides because his huge season firepower of 12 tries, 25 line-breaks and 43 off-loads is irreplaceable.

Originally published as Ben Daley says Reds are ready to smash high-flying Waratahs ‘into the grandstand’