Queensland Reds coach Les Kiss has no regrets about resting four Wallabies for the 19-14 loss to the Western Force, saying he would make the same decision if given the chance again.
The Reds travelled to Perth without captain Fraser McReight, backs Josh Flook and Filipo Daugunu and lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto.
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McReight, Flook and Daugunu were rested as part of what Kiss dubbed a "regeneration week", while Salakaia-Loto was given permission to stay in Brisbane for the impending birth of his third child.
The Reds created plenty of good opportunities against the Force in Saturday night's clash, but their inability to convert those chances close to the line proved costly.
The loss leaves Queensland (6-6) in sixth spot, just two points ahead of the seventh-placed NSW Waratahs with two rounds remaining.
The Reds face last-placed Moana in Auckland next Saturday, before finishing their regular-season campaign at home to the 10th-placed Fijian Drua.
Kiss defended his decision to rest some of his Wallabies stars for the trip to Perth, declaring the team he had at his disposal was good enough to win the game.
"We did it for the right reasonsand I'd do it again because I believe this team was definitely going to win it," Kiss said.
"If we knocked off our opportunities, we'd be right in the hunt to win that game.
"It was a calculated measure we did and we know that when the boys come back, they'll be nice and fresh to go for us."
The Force (5-7) remain six points adrift of the Reds and are treating every game as a do-or-die clash.
It's a position the Reds are now adopting as well after back-to-back losses to the Chiefs and Force.
"It's probably do-or-die for us too," stand-in Reds captain Harry Wilson said.
"We've put ourselves in this position now, so now we've got to go out there and get two good results.
"We've got Moana in New Zealand in their final home game (before being disbanded), so we know it's going to be really tough one.
"I'm really excited for do-or-die footy, pressure on, and let's make sure we perform with the pressure."
The Force have won three of their past four games to stay in the finals hunt.
But with the Force needing wins against Fijian Drua and Waratahs in Perth over the next fortnight to have any chance of sneaking into the top six, coach Simon Cron says his team are staying grounded.
"There's no heads going anywhere - feet on the ground is the minimum requirement from us," Cron said.
