The Queensland Reds are taking confidence from their best away win in the past decade into Sunday morning’s (AEST) crucial Super Rugby clash in Cape Town.
The last time the Reds visited Cape Town two years ago they ended a record 10-match home streak by the pace-setting Stormers with a 19-6 upset in front of a packed Newlands crowd.
It was the pressure-filled victory that announced Ewen McKenzie’s rising team as genuine title contenders and they went on to top the standings and beat the Crusaders 18-13 in the 2011 final.
“We’ve got very good memories,” said halfback Will Genia.
“We came here against a Stormers side that was top of the table and a lot was spoken about their strong defence.
“The thing I remember the most was how much the boys were up for it and it’s very much the case this week after a disappointing (loss to the Cheetahs) last week.
“We had plenty of good possession and field position and didn’t capitalise.”
Queensland are focussed on repeating the low error-rate of 2011 rather than the sloppy mistakes in Bloemfontein which has left them needing to win all three of their remaining matches to nab a top-two spot for the play-offs.
Cult hero Radike Samo was one of the heroes of the Reds’ last visit to Newlands and he’ll be unleashed at No.8 for his first start of the year, replacing Ed Quirk in one of two changes against the injury-hit home side.
“We’re plugging on him coming in and making a difference,” said coaching boss McKenzie. “He’s a big guy, he knows how to attack and create opportunities.
“They will be very passionate early on so we have to fight fire with fire.”
South African conference winners the past two years, the Stormers are hurting after dropping to 11th with a 30-21 upset loss to the Melbourne Rebels which captain Jean de Villiers described as embarrassing.
They’re missing influential lock Andries Bekker, hooker Deon Fourie (ribs), and props Frans Malherbe and Pat Cilliers (both ankles) from their pack plus dynamic centre Juan de Jongh (fractured finger).
But they still boast dangermen in their backline with Springbok quartet Bryan Habana, Gio Aplon, Elton Jantjies and de Villiers.
McKenzie is also wary of the unheralded young forwards who get their starting chances.
“That makes them very dangerous,” he said. “We don’t know a lot about their fringe guys.”
Wallabies centre Ben Tapuai remains on the Reds bench with Jono Lance returning from a shoulder injury at fullback in a sign playmaker Quade Cooper won’t defend in the front line where Test coach Robbie Deans would like to see him.
