The Hurricanes play their final 2015 Investec Super Rugby round-robin match outside of New Zealand this Sunday when they take on the Reds in Brisbane at 6.05pm (NZT) as part of the Anzac weekend round.

The Hurricanes are hoping to resume their winning ways and maintain their lead at the top of both the New Zealand conference and overall standings, after sustaining their first loss of the season against the Waratahs last week.

The Reds are returning to Suncorp Stadium from South Africa, where they beat the Cheetahs by a point in Bloemfontein in the last round to keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

With just 11 competition points, this match appears to be a must-win for the 2011 Super Rugby champions, so with their desperation and the Hurricanes' hunger, this fixture will be one to watch.

The Hurricanes head to Brisbane with a good recent record against the Reds. They've won five of their past six games over the Reds, and won this fixture 35-21 in Wellington last year, scoring five tries to two. The Reds won 18-12 the last time they met in Brisbane in 2013.

Hurricanes - Reds matches are always fast-paced and frenetic, with the contest for recycled ball often the decisive area, and the match-ups in the loose forwards and at halfback looking important.

Should they play, there could be an explosive battle between Hurricanes flanker Ardie Savea and No. 8 Brad Shields with their opposites, Wallaby flanker Liam Gill and former Highlanders and All Blacks No. 8 Adam Thomson.

TJ Perenara and Will Genia are electric halfbacks who love to run if opportunities allow. Perenara scored a try against the Reds last year and Genia made his Reds debut in a 25-16 win over the Hurricanes in Brisbane in 2007.

Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush and James Horwill are both hard working players in the engine room, with the Reds' lineout the second best in the competition and the Hurricanes' the ninth most effective.

Hurricanes first five-eighth Beauden Barrett needs two points to surpass David Holwell (676 points for the Hurricanes) and become the Hurricanes' leading points scorer of all time, while Ma'a Nonu (48 Super Rugby tries) needs to score a brace to become the seventh player to cross the try line on 50 or more occasions in Super Rugby.

To date this season, the Hurricanes have scored 216 points and 26 tries, while the Reds have scored 111 points and 14 tries. The Hurricanes have conceded 131 points and 12 tries, and the Reds have let in 226 points and 27 tries. Individually, Perenara and Julian Savea are the Hurricanes' leading try scorers with five each.

For Hurricanes fans in Brisbane, the Queensland Rugby Union is teaming up with the Australian Defence Force to commemorate this weekend's ANZAC Round, with the Reds wearing specially designed jerseys and a pre-match march and military display.

The Hurricanes will also attend a ceremony in central Brisbane, where captain Conrad Smith will lay a wreath in tribute to the Anzacs.