Queensland Reds Triumph in Thrilling Shootout Amidst Unexpected Circumstances

After being handed a round one bye, the Queensland Reds transformed their rigorous pre-season efforts into an exhilarating 56-36 victory against Moana Pasifika in the wet conditions of Brisbane on Friday night.

So far this season, Super Rugby Pacific has been challenging for those focused on defence, with attack once again proving dominant at Suncorp Stadium, where the Reds scored a remarkable eight tries.

All eight tries were converted – with Tom Lynagh kicking seven – while the outstanding flanker Fraser McReight excelled on both sides of the ball.

However, discipline and tackling will need attention for the Reds, who saw three players receive yellow cards in the first half.

In a commendable display, Moana continued to push back, with the electrifying winger Kyren Taumoefolau scoring twice in the second half, momentarily giving the visitors a glimmer of hope.

Nevertheless, the Reds responded effectively, ensuring coach Les Kiss left the field pleased after the final whistle.

Their decisive flurry of 21-0 in the opening 13 minutes was critical.

“We executed our plans well from the outset,” Kiss shared with Stan Sport.

“We really made an impact early. Considering the yellow cards and the pressure we faced, I was quite pleased at half-time, to be honest, regarding our resilience…”

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“I believe we can take a lot from this game. Given the unusual circumstances and the tough refereeing decisions, it matters not whether it was right or wrong.”

“We had to stand our ground; that could’ve easily led to our collapse, yet we held firm. I was genuinely pleased with how we tackled the challenges, and some of the tries we scored were quite exceptional.”

McReight, Hunter Paisami, and Ryan Smith all received yellow cards from New Zealand referee Paul Williams.

The Reds now hold a record of 1-0, while Moana stands at 0-2.

“It certainly had a bit of everything,” McReight said to Stan Sport.

“Being the first match, coupled with the hot and humid conditions, we expected to be somewhat rusty, but I’m really proud we managed to secure a bonus point win in the end.”

Next, Queensland will head to Perth to face the Western Force in round three, while Moana will host the Highlanders in Auckland.

“We are obviously very pleased with that win; it was a fast-paced game of footy,” No.8 Harry Wilson expressed to Stan Sport.

“The high tempo contributes to fatigue, which is likely why so many points were scored. Our tight five worked brilliantly in the first half, and we reaped the rewards in the final 40 minutes.”

Final Score: Reds 56 (Tries: Uru, Daugunu, Ryan, Faessler, Blyth, Smith, McReight, McLaughlin-Phillips; Cons: Lynagh 7, McLaughlin-Phillips) defeated Moana Pasifika 36 (Tries: Savea, Aiaimalo, Taumoefolau 2, Craig; Cons: Havili 4)