Forget Quade Cooper's dancing feet, this will be one for the pigs to win or lose. 

Sure, the Queenslanders don't want to abandon their entertaining ball-in-hand style in the Super 15 home semi against the Blues, but the running Reds have matured sufficiently this season to know ‘ugly' isn't a bad word, unless you're in a beauty contest. 

As ravishing as the Reds have been for large slabs of 2011, they have been prepared to get down and dirty when required in games such as the smash and bash-athon against the Stormers in Cape Town in April. 

At a packed Suncorp on Saturday night, the faithful and the players will take it anyway they can get it against a Blues side itching to burgle the hot favourites. 

The Reds have dodged a bullet or two during the regular season. Their scrum has gone backwards from time to time and without the injured James Slipper, Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie knows the Aucklanders will be looking for the ascendency early, if for no other reason than to shut the XXXX crowd up. 

The Blues' winning performance against the gritty but underarmed Waratahs last week was built around the abrasiveness of their tight five with Ali Williams back his absolute best. His locking partner Anthony Boric is out to injury but impressive Chris Lowrey will fill the hole in a great pack led by Kevin Mealamu. 

The Reds will have a bunch of their finest back from injury including, importantly, Digby Ioane, the best go-forward three quarter in Australia, but it will be up to the less charismatic fellas to step up for this one. 

James Horwill has sparked occasionally this season but is yet to regain his full promise as an uncompromising lock. There will be no better time to stamp his authority as a provincial and national warhorse of note than Saturday. 

His second-row buddy Rob Simmons has been exceptional in some games, but consistency is an issue. He gets stuck in and is a nuisance in the lineout where the Reds might feel they have an edge, particularly in Boric's absence. 

The Blues will lift with the return of rampaging Rene Ranger from injury. He is to Auckland was Ioane is to the Reds. The battle of the backrow will also be intriguing with Luke Braid beating out older brother Daniel on the flank for the visitors. 

That might be a relief for the Reds who know how good Daniel Braid can be having benefited from his big game experience when he was in their ranks last year. While the former All Black won't be starting, he'll be talking: no doubt telling his teammates everything he knows about his former teammates, especially the Reds match-winning halves, Will Genia and Cooper.

In the other semi ... ah, who cares. It's the Reds year. Bankrupt a year ago, they average 30,000 to home games and are every rugby fans second favourite team, at least. 

But for the record, a win against the Blues will set up a home final against either the Stormers or Crusaders. A repeat of that regular season thriller against Canterbury wouldn't be too shabby.