Reds hungry to improve

Reds skipper John Roe says his team is hungry to improve after starting their Super 14 campaign with a victory over the Highlanders.

Reds skipper John Roe says his team is hungry to improve after starting their Super 14 campaign with a victory over the Highlanders.

The Reds beat the Highlanders 22-16 at Suncorp Stadium and now face the powerful Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday with a determination to lift their performance to a higher level.

“Winning was great but it's not enough, we've got to play better,” said Roe.

Although the Hurricanes faltered last Saturday, going down 3-20 to the Waratahs, Roe said they were a formidable unit.

“We're playing a very good team, there's no doubt about that,” he told reporters after training at Ballymore.

“They're a very good one-on-one team.

“They've got plenty of All Blacks, they're big, strong powerful men and they love an offload and they're very dynamic,” the skipper said.

Roe said if the Reds stuck to their game plan and played as a team, they were capable of taking the points.

“The way we're going to beat them is to play them as a team,” he said.

“We're very confident, as a team sticking to our patterns which we know work, and sticking to our principles in defence, it should be a good win,” Roe said confidently.

Reds Head Coach Phil Mooney has kept his starting side intact and made just one change to the bench, calling up teenage flyhalf Quade Cooper to replace utility back Andrew Walker in the 22.

Cooper was pleased to get the opportunity but knows it's a competitive Reds squad in 2008.

“I'm really looking forward to it, I can't wait to play,” Cooper told reporters.

“It was tough going back down to 'Queensland A' but I had a good time and got back in the side so I'm very happy.

“There's good players all across the board and we've got a lot of depth so everybody's got to play [well] week in, week out,” the youngster said.