The Reds' top two aspirations sit on a knife edge after last week's heartbreak in Fiji but Tom Lynagh knows Queensland will be up for a critical clash against their oldest rivals - New South Wales.
The derby sits at a critical junction for both sides with the ninth-placed Waratahs' finals hopes on tenterhooks and the Reds looking to run down the Brumbies, Chiefs and Crusaders for a top two finish.
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Returning from Fiji is always a tough flight but Lynagh said the side was feeling good going into Friday's Bob Templeton Cup clash.
"The Tempo's on the line, so we'll be going down there to defend that and hopefully take it back to Brisbane," Lynagh told reporters.
"[It's] always a big game against New South Wales. It's a very tough place to play. They haven't lost there yet. We know that and we'll have to bring our best."
However, Lynagh admitted the Reds had to be accountable and deliver on the promise of their Wallaby-stacked side, and that their disappointment in Fiji came with several lessons to take into the Harbour City clash.
"It's always tough losing in the last minute," Lynagh conceded.
"We sort of put ourselves in that position, really. Discipline was pretty poor throughout the whole game.
"There was plenty of good stuff that came out of the game, but plenty of stuff to work on too. We'll fix all the things that we need to work on and just keep building towards the next game. We've had some great games this year, and some not so good.
"It's how you bounce back from the losses, really. It's a short turnaround this week, a couple of training sessions to try and put our best foot forward on Friday night."
Discussions of past Reds-Waratahs clashes were common place for Lynagh growing up, with his father Michael frequently bringing up moments across his time as a player.
"The game was a bit different back then," Lynagh laughed.
"He talked about all the fights he had at the bottom of rucks, that people would start on him."
While fights might not be as frequent these days, the rivalry is still something the Reds take seriously, and with eight of their last ten encounters falling in favour of the Sunshine State, Les Kiss' side would be forgiven for thinking that they have the wood over their southern rivals.
Lynagh, however, remained coy on their chances - with the improvement under coach Dan McKellar noted by all across the competition in 2025.
"[They're a] different beast," said Lynagh.
"They're a completely different team, different coaching staff and different players as well. They've been really tough to play against at home."
The Waratahs remains unbeaten in Sydney this year despite their ladder position with the Highlanders, Drua, Force, Brumbies and ladder-leading Chiefs all falling at Allianz Stadium.
Against the backdrop of this clash looms the Lions, with Andy Farrell set to name his squad for the tour tomorrow morning Australian time.
The flyhalf question is now a major grey area for Joe Schmidt's Wallabies, and while Lynagh will be in the equation for the series, his eye has also been focused on a former Red across the Tasman, James O'Connor.
"He's become the ice man for them over there," Lynagh smiled.
"He's playing well down there and I've heard he's enjoying the system, he's learnt a lot from it. Hopefully, we get to catch up one day and I can learn a bit off him too. He sent me a message the other week so it was nice to get in contact with him again."
While a Super Rugby title is still to be won before the tour, one thing will work in Lynagh's favour for the tour: a strong partnership with Wallaby Tate McDermott.
"I love the combination with him. We've obviously played quite a few games together now," Lynagh said.
"We get along really well, understand each other pretty well. It helps having someone with 100 plus caps inside you; [it's] a lot of experience that you can lean on.
"He's always good to go to to ask for advice or all that sort of stuff. I trust him a lot."
