Queensland Reds on a Mission

The pain from last year's Super Rugby Pacific 41-17 drubbing at the hands of the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua side is what motivating the Queensland Reds.

Almost 12 months later, at the same venue, which is the HFC Bank Stadium, Suva, the Reds are coming all fired-up for Saturday's encounter.

Last year's win saw the Drua finished seventh while the Reds fell back to eighth but they both made the playoffs. This time around, the Reds are on fifth spot while the Drua is at eighth.

Reds head coach, Les Kiss has made it clear that the only way forward for the team is up the points table.

"We're not getting lost in the ladder ... but we've put a bit of a gap on the others now," Kiss said as the Reds are in fifth spot with 31 points followed by the Melbourne Rebels with 25.

"Keep winning and the pressure comes on other people and there's some big names for everyone."

A setback in the Reds campaign is the injury to their star No.8 Harry Wilson who has been ruled out for eight weeks.

Wilson underwent surgery last Friday night on his broken right arm.

The loss of the in-form No.8 is a blow for the hopes of Reds going all the way to the title, with Wilson linking with fellow back-rowers Fraser McReight and Liam Wright to form one of Super Rugby Pacific's greatest weapons.

The Reds have four players of Fijian heritage in their squad. They are winger Suliasi Vunivalu, lock Seru Uru who is under injury rehab along with loose head props Perri Ravai and Alex Hodgman.

Drua head coach Mick Byrne said they need to bounce back from their 48-10 thrashing to Western Force.

"We've got to have a good look at ourselves," Byrne said.

"We're still in the eight, so the year's in front of us still. We've got to lick our wounds- there's some serious wounds to lick- and we'll find out how good we are."

The match kicks-off at 2.05pm.

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