British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland opted not to pursue a coaching role in Australia © Getty Images

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Matches: Queensland Reds 33 - 20 Melbourne Rebels

British & Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland has rejected an offer to coach an Australian Super Rugby franchise - but it's not the Melbourne Rebels.

In a Daily Mail interview, Gatland revealed that he recently turned down an offer to apply for a head coach role in Australia, prompting speculation that Melbourne Rebels had approached the Lions mentor.

But Rebels chief executive Rob Clarke told The Weekend Australian that Gatland was not on Melbourne's wish list.

"We're happy with the list of candidates we've got," Clarke said.

That list includes current coach, Damien Hill, whose side has improved steadily as the Super Rugby season has progressed. After narrow losses to the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues by a total of only 14 points, the Rebels have beaten the Stormers and New South Wales Waratahs.

"Damien is a quality bloke and a quality coach and he's very much in the running if he wants to remain in the race," Clarke said. "He deserves to be there the way the team has been playing in recent weeks. Those performances stand him in good stead."

While Clarke's response only adds to the mystery regarding which franchise made the approach, the Rebels might have reason to abort their search for a new mentor should they continue their rich vein of form against the Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

The Rebels have won just three of their 22 matches outside of Melbourne and victory over the Reds would surely count as the finest performance in the club's history.

Queensland, which must beat the Rebels to stay in the race for a play-offs berth, will not be taking the Rebels lightly.

The clash will feature a showdown between Wallabies fly-half contenders Quade Cooper and James O'Connor, and Australia coach Robbie Deans could not have asked for a better test of O'Connor's credentials ahead of the Lions series.

Queensland will no doubt test O'Connor and are likely to attempt to isolate the playmaker from his outside backs and force him to go more one-out.

Reds coach Ewen McKenzie sees comparisons between the Rebels style and that of South African franchise the Cheetahs, which beat his side a fortnight ago.

"Both play very well off turnovers, so the secret is that we have to control the ball," McKenzie said.