Reds eye Lions scalp
The Reds, who started with an impressive win against the Sharks, have lost their last two matches – going down 19-26 to the Western Force in Perth and a heartbreaking last-minute 20-22 loss to the Crusaders in Brisbane.
They face the Lions – who lost to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires this past weekend – on Saturday and the travel to Argentina to tackle the Jaguares.
Reds coach Nick Stiles felt the loss to the Crusaders showed his team is no-longer the easy beats they were the past few seasons.
Having won just once in their last 10 matches in South Africa – a 18-17 triumph over the Cheetahs in 2015 – Stiles feel his team is in a good position to put their touring blues behind them.
"Last [Saturday] night was tough for everyone," he said of their last-minute loss to the Crusaders.
"However, there was enough in our performance to be excited about what's to come from this group.
"We're not happy with being thereabouts.
"The next two weeks are an important time in the development of this side.
"We've faced some adversity in the first few weeks of the competition, but we've also shown some growth.
"It's a great opportunity to get away together as a group and really challenge each other to get the best out of ourselves.
"The Reds have struggled on this tour in recent years, but there is a genuine hunger and desire within this group to return home with something to show for our hard work."
The Reds named a 27-man squad for their two-week tour of South Africa and Argentina.
The squad departs from Brisbane on Monday for the tour.
The squad features the 23 players from the weekend's match against the Crusaders, along with prop Kirwan Sanday, lock Lukhan Tui, Number 8 Leroy Houston and centre Henry Taefu.
The uncapped Sanday, who trained with the Reds throughout pre-season, has been brought into the tour squad as an injury replacement for Sef Fa'agase, who was a late withdrawal from this past Saturday's match due to a calf injury.
Lukhan Tui, Houston and Taefu are yet to get a run in the Reds' match-day 23 this season and will be looking at the tour as an opportunity to push their claims for selection.
This coming Saturday's match against the Lions will be the Reds' first since 2015, which they lost 17-18 at Suncorp Stadium.
The two sides have met 19 times in the history of Super Rugby.
The Reds have beaten the Lions 13 times and had one draw.
The Reds' trip to Argentina will be the side's first since Queensland Rugby Union took a development tour there in 2005.
It will also be the first time the Reds have played the Jaguares, who entered the competition in 2015.
Reds squad:
Forwards:Kirwan Sanday, James Slipper (captain), Sam Talakai, Taniela Tupou, Markus Vanzati, Stephen Moore, Andrew Ready, Kane Douglas, Izack Rodda, Rob Simmons, Lukhan Tui, Scott Higginbotham, Leroy Houston, Adam Korczyk, George Smith, Hendrik Tui.
Backs: Nick Frisby, James Tuttle, Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi, Duncan Paia'aua, Henry Taefu, Karmichael Hunt, Chris Kuridrani, Eto Nabuli, Izaia Perese.
