Rugby: Success stuns Reds veterans

Queensland's stunning Super 14 transformation is so out of the box that their finals assault has left even the hardiest Reds in a state of shock.

Veteran lock Van Humphries revealed on Wednesday he didn't see the Reds charge towards a first finals berth in nine years coming in Ewen McKenzie's first season at Ballymore.

Humphries, preparing to lock horns with Springbok Victor Matfield in Saturday night's litmus test against the defending champion Bulls, has seen a number of false dawns in three different stints with the perennial battlers.

But the 34-year-old is rapt the tide has turned with Queensland playing the most attractive rugby in the competition to be two points outside the top four.

"That's a bit of an understatement," he said.

"The last few years have been tough going and the press has been pretty critical.

"To be turning things around as quick as we have is pretty amazing and quite shocking for a few of the older guys who have been around for quite some time and couldn't be happier."

Showing the major turnaround in personnel, as well as fortunes, hooker Sean Hardman, fullback Peter Hynes and star playmaker Quade Cooper are the only survivors from the 2007 Reds team smashed 92-3 by the Bulls in Pretoria.

Humphries expected some improvement on last year's second last finish under Phil Mooney this year but not to the extent which has them boasting the second best for-and-against in the competition.

"There was an inkling in the pre-season but I've had an inkling in the last two pre-seasons and things haven't panned out the way I thought," he said.

The second-rower, who would be in Wallabies contention if he could change his birth certificate, credited improved defence and more personal accountability under McKenzie as major hallmarks of the Reds rise.

While Humphries didn't see the big reversal coming, fellow lineout target Scott Higginbotham isn't surprised at all.

"I had no doubts that we could really push forward this year," the 23-year-old flanker said.

"A lot of the boys from last year have got an extra year of experience but the main difference is last year we were a team with nothing to lose (and did)."

Showing how McKenzie has shaken up his team, Higginbotham's form has him in Test back-row calculations but he's not getting carried away.

"I'm still pretty worried after each game, I'm worried I'll be dropped," he admitted.

"Even if you play a good game ... Ewen has you in two minds.

"He can also find something you can improve on."

Both took confidence from last year's 33-20 season-opening round loss to the Bulls in Pretoria, where they conceded 14 points when Adam Byrnes was sin-binned in the second half.

"Those glimpses last year were signs we were on the improve but couldn't maintain the consistency and effort week in and week out," Humphries said.

- AAP