WELLINGTON - Former All Blacks prop Jeffery Toomaga-Allen is ready to go to "dark places" to help the Queensland Reds halt the table-topping Waikato Chiefs this weekend.
The front-rower will pull on a Reds shirt for the first time at the Super Rugby level, bringing more than a decade of experience playing for Wellington Hurricanes, Wasps and Ulster.
New Reds coach Les Kiss lured him back to the southern hemisphere from Britain and he is in line for a debut off the bench in Brisbane on Saturday.
"I've been away from Super for about five years, but hopefully there's some chat and banter, I like some back-and-forth, within reason," the big prop told reporters.
The rampant Chiefs upset the defending champion Canterbury Crusaders to open their season and backed it up by crushing the ACT Brumbies 46-12 last weekend.
The Reds cruised past the NSW Waratahs first up before a narrow loss to the Hurricanes, with Toomaga-Allen confident they have what it takes to stun the Chiefs.
"Over the years you could say teams have rolled over against Kiwi teams, but we're not that team," he said.
"They bleed, bruise, fatigue like us -- it's anyone's game. And going to dark places when you need to ... that's what I'm bringing to the team."
The Reds will need all the help they can get against a side that have won eight of their last nine away from home and with their Wallaby backs Jordan Petaia and Hunter Paisami both out injured.
The Hurricanes meet the Auckland Blues in another top-of-the-table clash at Wellington, while the Crusaders travel to Fiji to face Drua after losing their opening two Super Rugby games for the first time in a decade.