Ross targets upset of former club Chiefs as Reds chase history in Hamilton

Aidan Ross will line up against the club where he spent a decade on Saturday when the Queensland Reds travel to Hamilton for a Super Rugby Pacific qualifying final against the Chiefs, a side Australian teams have never beaten in New Zealand post-season rugby.

The veteran prop played 101 games for the Chiefs before joining the Reds in Brisbane last year. He has since earned a Wallabies cap and returned from a toe injury that ruled him out of a 10-point loss to the Chiefs in Brisbane a month ago. The Reds, who won their last two regular-season games to finish fifth, have never won a finals match away from Brisbane, and Australian teams carry an 0-21 record in Super Rugby post-season games played in New Zealand.

Ross was asked whether there is a formula to ending that dominance. “Go out there and play footy,” he said. “There’s a lot of history and stats put up come finals time. I’ve been a part of some pretty awesome wins where we’ve been heavy underdogs. You have to find a way and the pressure’s on them.”

The Chiefs finished second in the regular season and have welcomed back flyhalf Damian McKenzie from concussion, though winger Leroy Carter is out with a hamstring injury after being selected to return to the bench. Ten of the Chiefs’ starting 15 have worn the All Blacks jersey, as have half of their bench, with only one of their eight forwards yet to earn a Test cap for New Zealand.

The Reds have steadied their set piece in recent weeks through the return of lock Josh Canham and improved stability in the pack, with Ross central to that progress. He outlined the Reds’ forward strategy plainly: “When it’s our ball, stay calm. Do it on our terms, don’t rush and stay as tight as we can. There’s a good chance it’ll be very slippery if we get the conditions forecast. That’ll turn the screws up even more on doing the simple things well, over and over again.”

Saturday’s game could also be the last in charge for Reds head coach Les Kiss, who is set to take over the Wallabies in August. Despite his long ties to the Chiefs, Ross said sentiment would not factor into his preparation. “I’m very much pretty simple and thinking I’ve got to play rugby tomorrow,” he said. “Yes, I made some awesome connections over the past 10 years, but I’ll be bloody proud to wear a Reds jersey and get the job done.”