Brad Thorn says his Reds team are "hungry for more" success as they prepare for their opening game of Super Rugby trans-Tasman battle against the Highlanders in Dunedin tomorrow night.
The Super Rugby AU champions are rank outsiders for the clash, showing the perceived difference in quality between New Zealand and Australian teams.
Thorn admitted it was "a bit sad" to see the odds, which have the Reds 7/2 outsiders to the Highlanders' 13/10.
"I guess it's our job to change that," Thorn told media at training in Brisbane yesterday.
"We know we won't be highly rated in New Zealand.
"We're a positive group that just wants to get better.
"We want to go down there and get a job done."
Meanwhile, the Highlanders are prepared for a far more even contest than what is being predicted, with Aaron Smith saying the Reds should not be considered underdogs.
"They might claim the underdog tag, but they've just won a comp," Smith said.
"I've played plenty of Aussie teams who’ve said, 'We’re the underdogs,’ but they don’t think that. They’re not coming here thinking they’re going to lose. That’s just not the Aussie mentality.
"I’ve played them enough to know that if you underestimate the Australians in any way, whether that’s at Super or Test level, they’ll bite you."
Smith said Thorn's Reds replicated what the former All Black lock was like as a player, and expected them to put up a good fight, and rely heavily on their set piece.
"His team goes for 80 [minutes]. It doesn't matter what the score is, they're going to keep fighting, keep pushing," Smith said.
The competition's opening game in Dunedin will be followed by the Hurricanes contest with the Waratahs at the Sydney Cricket Ground tomorrow night.
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