The Crusaders are Super Rugby's white-hot form side, boast a chilly home advantage and a superior finals springboard but unfazed Queensland have predicted they'll also bring out the Reds' best on Saturday.
Neither coaching boss Ewen McKenzie or playmaker Quade Cooper spoke like underdogs on Monday as they both talked up Queensland's chances of winning their first-ever away play-off in Christchurch.
The Crusaders have rolled into the finals on the back of five straight wins, and reaped 14 competition points from a possible 15 since New Zealand's Test window shut three weeks ago.
In contrast, the Reds have only tuned up for the play-offs with one rusty 14-12 win over NSW following the Wallabies' 2-1 Lions series loss.
But McKenzie fully expects his team to click into gear in Saturday's elimination final at the new AMI Stadium when key leaders James Horwill and Will Genia return against the seven-time champions.
Queensland haven't won in Christchurch since 1999, although they pushed them hard in a 15-11 loss without Cooper last year, and won the previous three meetings in Brisbane including the 2011 grand final.
"There's a good rivalry and both teams bring the best out of the other," McKenzie said.
"We handle on-the-road stuff pretty well, we've handled the Kiwi teams alright, we've done pretty well against the Crusaders - there's a lot of things we can look at and say there's plenty of reasons for confidence."
While halfback Genia and lock Horwill provide major boosts, the Reds are sweating on the fitness of defensive linchpin Anthony Faingaa who is racing the clock to overcome a hamstring strain and replace Mike Harris in the midfield.
The Crusaders also have a concern over their inside centre with Tom Taylor, who has forged a strong combination with Dan Carter, yet to be cleared following a head knock in their 25-17 win over the Hurricanes.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder has indicated All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw will make his return on the bench following one club outing.
McKenzie felt the Cantabrians had improved their attack since the June break by playing more direct, with Carter taking the ball to the line, resulting in 12 tries from the past three wins.
But he listed the Reds' defence among the best in the competition.
"They've found a rich vein of form," McKenzie said. "They'll be playing with a lot of confidence but we have to take them out of the confidence zone.
"You have to have a good attack and a good defence. They've got it and I think we've got it too so it makes a pretty potent match."
An old adversary of McCaw's, Cooper knows he's in for a hostile welcome in his first match in Christchurch since debuting as an 18-year-old when he came off the bench in the final minute.
"I expect that every week, nothing changes," he said. "That's part and parcel of rivalries in rugby and I have got a great rivalry with the Crusaders as a team.
"I'm sure that rivalry will add to the occasion."
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