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Queensland coach Les Kiss doesn’t want his troops to put any extra emphasis on achieving an early Super Rugby Pacific win against a New Zealand side when they face the Hurricanes.
Instead, he simply wants them to tidy some loose ends from an already impressive thumping of the NSW Waratahs last weekend when they battle their trans-Tasman foes in Melbourne.
The Hurricanes hit Super Round fresh from a thrashing of their own, easily accounting for the Western Force in a six-try 44-14 shellacking.
Quizzed about the psychology of beating a New Zealand team early in the season, Kiss implored the Reds not to look at the bigger picture.
“Psychologically, it’s just important we do the right things this week,” he said.
“There were some things to work on with the Waratahs. They troubled us a few times and a big focus is in making sure we get some of those things right.
“It’s a dangerous ‘Canes team coming to Melbourne that was impressive, massively impressive, against the Force.
“They were organised and deadly off the ball, turnovers were deadly.”
But it won’t be exactly the same Hurricanes side the Reds are dealing with.
Forwards Du’Plessis Kirifi and Devan Flanders are out injured, though star halfback Cam Roigard has been named for his first start of the season.
Kiss has named Jock Campbell on a wing in place of Mac Grealy, with the former shuffled down the key spine positions behind five-eighth Tom Lynagh and fullback Jordan Petaia.
“In the friendlies he was going great guns, been fantastic in training, is a leader in his own right,” Kiss said.
“I just think his form has warranted a start.
“He missed out last week and was just a true professional, got his job done.
“(Grealy) doesn’t like being dropped but I just needed to make sure that Jock got some game time as well while he’s in this vein of form.”
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