Waratahs v Reds insults fly

Sydney - The Waratahs and Reds bring a week of trash-talking and insults into their Super 14 grudge match on Friday, one of the highlights of the Australian rugby calendar.

Although the Reds have occupied the Super 14's bottom three over the last five seasons, they see themselves as more entertaining under coach Phil Mooney than in previous years, and showed they're not afraid to say so.

Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper kicked off the sledging between the fierce local rivals this week, branding the table-topping Waratahs as "boring".

Waratahs wing Lote Tuqiri hit back:" "I know I would rather be entertaining the crowd come Super 14 semi-final time rather than entertaining friends at an end-of-season barbecue."

The Waratahs, who share top billing with South Africa's Bulls on 14 points after three rounds, have downed the Reds in their last four encounters and are unbeaten in their last nine home Super 14 games.

The Reds currently lie ninth.

"They can be the entertainers, but they've lost two," Waratahs flyhalf Kurtley Beale said. "We might play some boring rugby, but it's good to get the three wins plus two bonus points."