Queensland Reds determined to avoid slip-up against Super Rugby Pacific cellar dwellers
The Reds are adamant they won’t underestimate a Western Force team that beat them in a pre-season trial.
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A pre-season loss to the Western Force will help ensure the Queensland Reds avoid complacency in Perth on Saturday night.
The Reds are in good form ahead of their clash with the Force, having won three from four in an encouraging start to their Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
In contrast, the West Australian outfit sits on the bottom of the ladder, having started the season with four successive losses.
However, the Force beat the Reds 21-19 in trial at Ballymore last month.
“Complacency’s always something you’ve got to be wary of,” Reds coach Les Kiss said.
“Coupled with that, the Force played us here (seven) weeks, (and) they beat us.
“We have to be wary of them, as much as ourselves. We’ve got to keep our heads and stay focused.
“They’re a proud team over there (in Perth). They certainly aim up at home, so we’re trying to make sure it’s not a banana skin, that’s for sure.”
Force centre Sam Spink said his side would take confidence from the trial win in Brisbane, as well as being able to lift at home against “in-form” teams.
“Given the start we’ve had, we can’t focus too hard on them,” Spink told the Force website. “A lot of our focus needs to be on us and fixing the things we can do, but if you were looking at them, we had a great win against them in the pre-season and a lot of the in-form teams struggled to come here last season, and this (HBF Park) was a fortress for us.
“I’m not too worried about who’s coming across on the other side of the pitch. If we focus on ourselves and put in a performance we can be proud of, we can beat one of the in-form teams and put our stamp on the league.”
Reds: Peni Ravai, Matt Faessler, Zane Nonggorr, Seru Uru, Ryan Smith, Liam Wright, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott, Tom Lynagh, Mac Grealy, Hunter Paisami, Josh Flook, Suliasi Vunivalu, Jock Campbell. Bench: Josh Nasser, George Blake, Jeffery Toomaga-Allenm Cormac Daly, John Bryant, Kalani Thomas, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Taj Annan.
Force: Ryan Coxon, Tom Horton, Santiago Medrano, Thomas Franklin, Jeremy Williams, Tim Anstee, Carlo Tizzano, Will Harris, Nic White, Ben Donaldson, Chase Tiatia, Hamish Stewart, Sam Spink, Bayley Kuenzle, Harry Potter. Bench: Ben Funnell, Josh Bartlett, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Lopeti Faifua, Reed Prinsep, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Max Burey, George Poolman.
Originally published as Queensland Reds determined to avoid slip-up against Super Rugby Pacific cellar dwellers
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