Writing in his column for The Sydney Morning Herald, Matt Burke analyses how the Reds will respond after their week off in their Super Rugby semi-final showdown with the Blues.
"Will the week off be good for us or will it be a hindrance? This is the question that haunts teams around finals time - in all codes.
Finishing one or two in Super Rugby means teams get the week off, and more time to prepare for a high-impact, high-speed semi-final.
The amount of on- and off-field work has to balance. The Reds approached the first week of the finals series as if it had been a bye week, putting in place a plan that will get them the best result."