AUNZ Invitational XV coach Les Kiss has given players the green light to play expansive Rugby as they look to take it to the British & Irish Lions on July 12.
Kiss will coach the combined side, which returns for the first time since 1989, as they face the Lions a week before the start of the three-Test series.
Click here to be first to access the AUNZ Jersey ahead of the match on July 12
The match marks the first time in over 135 years the Lions will head to the Adelaide Oval.
With a near sell out crowd expected, Kiss is eager to put on a show.
“It's going to be a fair dinkum game but I know talking to some players and the staff that they're going to come in here to enjoy (it),” Kiss told reporters. “We're going to allow them to play their footy and we're going to be direct and try and create some opportunities for those players to put their hand forward for whatever they want to do in terms of their Wallabies selections.
“I'm pretty sure Joe [Schmidt, Wallabies coach] and myself will be talking about certain players that we need to give some time so that they can get a chance to put their hand up for the test series as well.”
Kiss will have the inside line on what to expect, with the Reds facing the Lions in a mid-week game a week earlier.
He understands the unique challenge of the contest, with players likely only coming into camp days before the game, pending their Wallabies selections.
There are also a host of overseas-based Kiwis that will likely be selected, with names such as Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith and Shannon Frizell thrown out as key targets.
The Reds coach will have the help of former All Blacks coach Ian Foster and Force coach Simon Cron as they try to lift for the big match.
“The challenge will be ensuring that we allow them to express themselves and have a structured game that they can play to but just get out there and be themselves and see what we can do,” Kiss believes.
“It's a big match, I would say when we sit there in that room and we meet together, the playing group, there's going to be steel in their eyes, they want to do the job against them.
“I think the last result was a 19-15 defeat and wed like to turn that around for sure.”
