Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie is expecting his high-flying Reds to confront a Crusaders outfit who are peaking in yet another Super Rugby blockbuster in Brisbane next Sunday.

The Reds not only enjoyed a desperately-needed bye weekend, but also extended their lead atop the ladder without even lacing on a boot after the second-placed Blues lost a cliffhanger in Auckland.

But it's straight back to business for Queensland this week with McKenzie claiming the seven-times champion Crusaders are peaking nicely one again after rising to equal third spot with a 25-19 victory over the Chiefs in Napier.

Due to the competition being expanded to 15 teams this year, another four rounds remain before the finals but McKenzie suspects the Crusaders are already in playoffs mode.

"They've got all the experience haven't they. I mean, this is normal for them if you think about the history of Super 14, Super 12 - this is normally the finals right now," he said on Sunday.

"This weekend coming up is the old grand final weekend and, in terms of timing, the Crusaders have timed their run brilliantly for so long.

"This is when they really start hitting their straps."

The Reds will have had a 16-day break between their last-up top-of-the-table triumph over the Blues when they host the Crusaders in a rare Sunday afternoon kick-off at Suncorp Stadium.

"We might lose some rhythm and whatever, but the bye was necessary. It was good timing for us," McKenzie said.

"We just got there. It was hard, it was a long haul - nine (straight) games - so we've freshened up a fair bit.

"The guys trained on Thursday and Friday and were looking nice and sharp and now I'm getting a few text messages from players, which is a good sign.

"It's not so much a physical toll, but more the mental fatigue of playing week in, week out.

"So when you start getting text messages from players, you know that their minds are on the job."

Queensland (54) are six points clear of the Crusaders (48) heading into one of eight crucial match-ups between finals aspirants over the closing four rounds.

The Crusaders' hopes of winning the New Zealand conference to gain an automatic finals berth further improved when South African conference leaders the Stormers (48) scored a last-gasp 28-26 win over the Blues (50) at Eden Park.

The NSW Waratahs (45) climbed to fifth before their season-shaping two-game tour of South Africa with a 29-12 bonus-point win over the last-placed Lions (19).

The Highlanders (43) hold down the all-important sixth position ahead of the Sharks (43) by virtue of their eight wins to the Durban side's seven.

The two-time defending champion Bulls (40) are the only other team in finals reckoning after notching a hugely important 32-23 away win over the Sharks.

The Cheetahs (34) remain a mathematical chance only after consigning the Melbourne Rebels (19) to their sixth consecutive loss - 41-21 - in Johannesburg.

The Australian derby featuring the team that just can't seem to win, the Western Force (27), and the team that couldn't stop losing, the Brumbies (24), somewhat fittingly played out a 13-13 draw in Perth.

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