Uncontracted Jono Lance may not boast the pay packet but he's got the defensive DNA to chop down Crusaders superstar Sonny Bill Williams in Saturday night's Super Rugby decider.

In a classic pauper vs prince battle, Lance has been commissioned for one of the toughest jobs in world rugby by marking up on strike weapon Williams at Suncorp Stadium.

A Reds squad reject late last year, the cards have since fallen the 21-year-old's way and he'll start just his fourth game, wearing No.15 but defending at No.10 as playmaker Quade Cooper's stuntman.

In contrast to Williams, Lance is the most inexperienced Reds' starting player and would be a complete no-name if not for his father's deeds two decades earlier.

Dean Lance was a 200-game defensive specialist who won two rugby league premierships for the Canberra Raiders.

The Reds know there's plenty of the old man's toughness and low-tackling technique in his son and expect him to cut SBW down to size.

"I think he takes on a lot of his father's traits in terms of loving to defend," said Queensland defence guru Matt Taylor, who also coached Lance as a schoolboy.

"He'll defend there at 10 and will do a good job for us (on Williams)."

Lance himself is pinching himself about the prospect, and admits he's been in awe of the dual international's attacking play with both the Bulldogs and Crusaders.

"You can't not be a fan with the way he played league, especially with his off-loads that we have to contain on the weekend," he told AAP.

"Being younger and growing up watching him play for the Bulldogs and seeing him put big hits in the NRL ... I'm really excited about the chance to come up against him."

Normally a five-eighth, Lance missed out on the Reds' final contract when coach Ewen McKenzie instead lured Kiwi Mike Harris from North Harbour.

But knee injuries to Harris and fullback Ben Lucas opened the door for the Australian sevens representative who has made every post a winner in his no-frills role.

Lucas set the tone for the Reds in their epic 17-16 victory over the Crusaders on May 29 with a first-minute low tackle on Williams which jolted the ball free, and Taylor confidently expects Lance to do the same.

The rookie is currently playing for Queensland on match payments but would have qualified for a minimum contract of $60,000 if there was one more game after the final to reach the contract threshold of five.

"But I'm not complaining, I'm going to play in a Super Rugby final if I get picked this week," Lance said.

"It's been a whirlwind few weeks, coming back from playing sevens in Scotland last month and getting thrown into Super Rugby, then getting my first home game in a semi-final and then finding out as soon as we finished another home game would be a grand final."

He'll indeed get selected, and will also bring something to the table with the ball in hand as shown by his strong attacking game in the 30-13 semi-final triumph over the Blues.

While most five-eighths have little time for defensive duties, Lance admits he doesn't mind playing second fiddle to the mercurial Cooper.

"I'm pretty happy to watch what he's doing (in attack) because he's pretty amazing," he said.

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