Reds coach can't work Beauden Barrett out

Beauden Barrett scores a try against the Rebels. Photo / Photosport

Reds coach and former Wallabies prop Nick Stiles is aware All Blacks and Hurricanes first five-eighth Beauden Barrett is good. He's just not exactly sure how good.

When asked about the World Rugby player of the year ahead of Saturday's clash against the defending champions in Brisbane, Stiles either understated, overstated or misspoke his appraisal of Barrett's skills.

"He's a dual threat ... that speed, his pass, his short kicking and his ability to just read the play makes him so dangerous," Stiles told the Courier Mail.

Either way containing Barrett from running the Hurricanes' backline effectively this weekend will be a challenge for Stiles' Reds who have one win from the opening four rounds.

The Hurricanes are the top-scoring side in the competition with 33 tries, five more than the next best team, with 11 of those tries coming against their last Aussie opponents, the Melbourne Rebels.

"You look at how Barrett and the Hurricanes backs set up off a scrum or lineout and you can see them scanning for weaknesses to exploit," Stiles said.

"That's something we are trying to educate our players in and emulate that skillset."

The Reds last beat the Hurricanes in 2013 having lost seven of their last eight encounters.