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Fraser McReight

Coming into the game, both sides were coming off a loss and desperately needed a win to keep their title hopes alive. Australia started quickly with Fraser McReight scoring in the opening minute, conversion slotted by Noah Lolesio.

Lolesio then kicked a penalty just a few minutes later to put the hosts 10-0 into the lead. In the 23rd minute, Handré Pollard kicked a penalty of his own to bring South Africa within 7 points.

In the 30th minute, South Africa looked dangerous attacking the Australian line as Ox Nché barrelled his way over from a short distance just to be held over the line by the Aussie defence.

Just before the half-time whistle blew, Springbok scrum-half Faf De Klerk was controversially yellow carded for striking fellow scrum-half Nic White in the head which reduced the away side to 14 men.

Australia started the second half strong as outside centre Len Ikitau made a darting run into the South African 22 before the ball was spun wide to Marika Koroibete who finishes the beautifully worked try.

In the 56th minute, Australia once again scored following a beautiful break from fly-half Noah Lolesio who popped it on to Fraser McReight who scored his second of the game.

The try was converted once more by Lolesio before slotting a penalty also to take the hosts 25-3 into the lead as we entered the final quarter of the match.

It took the Springboks 74 minutes to score their first try of the match as substitute Kwagga Smith ran one in for the visitors.

Aussie number 8 Rob Valetini was yellow carded in the final minute of the match which led to Kwagga Smith scoring his second try of the match, however, it was too little too late for the visitors who lost the match 25-17.

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It was a brilliant game to watch last night in Round 14 of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific at Suncorp Stadium, as Queensland Reds welcome Moana Pasifika. Moana fired off early with the headstart before before the Reds fought back with three tries in the Opening 40 at 24-10. Although, Moana made up some lost time in the 2nd half with another two tries on the board. However, the Reds have done enough to hold Moana back & safeguard this match-up courtesy of Harry Wilson with the win, 34-22.

Congratulations to Queensland Reds with a much-needed win v Moana after a string of consecutive defeats v New Zealand teams, even though the match-ups they played v Chiefs & Highlanders were unlucky. They responded really well after the early Moana headstart with a brilliant first-half performance, especially when Jock Campbell collected back-to-back tries. Now they will still need to improve their 2nd half performance which is something the Reds must face up v Crusaders next Friday. They haven’t scored much later on until Harry Wilson safeguarded the Reds home with his 70th minute try, although Tate McDermott’s amazing finish to this game was denied by the ref over a forward pass from Seru Uru. But they still need to put a full-match performance if the Reds are going to shock the Saders, as well as enjoy an extended run in the Playoffs beginning in two weeks’ time.

Moana Pasifika would be disappointed with the loss there, having been a great opponent against the Reds which is how Super Rugby should be like each week of this competition. They got the early headstart after Solomone Funaki opened their scoring account, as well as a comeback in the 2nd 40 with two tries from their back row forwards in Sione Tuipulotu & Henry Stowers. But a poor defensive response and some lost penalties have restricted the most of Moana’s attacking opportunities, where the Reds ran them ragged in return with the loss. They have two games next week to finish off their inaugural Super Rugby campaign at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland; one is the rearranged fixture v Western Force on Tuesday, followed by the Brumbies on Saturday.

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It was a terrific close match-up between the two sides that kickstarted Week 11 of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific after 80 minutes of play. The first-half run saw the Queensland Reds & Chiefs share the lead at half-time, 13-13. Chiefs continued their resurgence where they regained top spot, while the Reds fought back as of late. The Semipeni Finau red card gave the Reds some glimmer of hope thanks to Hunter Paisami’s TRY with three minutes left, but they unfortunately ran out of time with a narrow two-point loss, 25-27.

Reds were unlucky to lose at Suncorp Stadium by two points to the Chiefs. They fired off slow and steady through the two three-point penalty goals off fly-half in Lawson Creighton before Harry Wilson opened the scoring account in the 30th minute at Number 8. Although, they were still in contention despite losing the lead later in the 2nd half, on top of another two tries from Josh Flook and the crucial consolation big score in Hunter Paisami, that gave his side some glimmer of hope with only five minutes to go. They were unlucky not to be given time in the end to upsurp the Chiefs, especially when Creighton failed to convert into the goalposts after Josh Flook’s TRY in the 51st minute. However, the ill-discipline robbed the Reds’ momentum where a couple of lost penalties and two yellow cards against them saw the Reds fell short.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs were on the same page as the Reds in the first half with a couple of penalty goals before Cortez Ratima leveled the scoresheets at half-time. But their last 40-minute momentum has to be the turning point, despite the Samipemi Finau red card in the 75th minute over a high tackle on Fraser McReight. They were so dangerous in attack when the Reds couldn’t stop them thanks to their ill-discipline, having regained & extended the lead with another two tries before they held off a difficult opponent through a sigh of relief towards full-time. Credit to Samisoni Taukei’aho at hooker, who completed an execution masterclass that got the Chiefs back in front, while Pita Sowakula extended their winning share where he handled the Reds well with the scrum feed and their defensive half. And Bryn Gatland’s kicking is top-notch as always without error through the goalposts 100%.

The Reds will be back at Suncorp Stadium when they take on the Highlanders from Dunedin next Friday, while the Chiefs will return home to Waikato in New Zealand next Saturday night v the ACT Brumbies.

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It was an excellent Saturday night showdown at AAMI Park during the three-day Super Round weekend between the Hurricanes & Queensland Reds. Queensland fired off well where they were up in front earlier with a narrow three-point lead (14-17) at half-time, thanks to the Hurricanes’ disciplinary issues that took out Bailyn Sullivan at one point for 10 minutes with the yellow card. However, the Reds couldn’t find more points along the way while Sullivan’s return presented brilliant timing; when the Hurricanes began to climb back in contention before they dominated the 2nd half spell have confirmed this match-up as winners. The final score is 30-17.

The Hurricanes are on fire here at AAMI Park in Melbourne tonight. They would be disappointed with the ill-discipline when Bailyn Sullivan was taken off the field earlier on via a yellow card for 10 minutes. But he has never let the club down, though, when it comes to the ability on the field; He & Tyrel Lomax made up lost time & put the Hurricanes back in contention where they were three points behind at half-time. And the Hurricanes were able to continue that renewed momentum later on with another two tries on the board before they were well secure with the win, which is a brilliant rebound performance to watch.

Meanwhile, Queensland Reds started well thanks to the Bailyn Sullivan yellow card earlier in the 1st half. They were able to get away with only two tries from Hamish Stewart & Fraser McReight, where they just led by a small three-point buffer at half-time. Although, both the Reds and Hurricanes have disciplinary issues to sort out themselves. However, the disjointed attacking shape unfortunately let them down the most. You can’t win games through a couple of fumbles, particularly Filipo Daugunu; that handed the Hurricanes plenty of ball opportunities where the opposition got away handy with a comfortable win.

The Hurricanes will stay in Australia for a while with a week-long rest before they take on the Brumbies at GIO Stadium in Canberra next Sunday. And the Reds will look to get back to winning ways against a New Zealand team when they will battle against the Chiefs at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Friday night.

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We have to say that Tyrel Lomax is tough as a rock down in the tighthead front row for the Hurricanes tonight. He brings so much physicality to the table where Lomax was there to rob the Queensland Reds’ scoring spree defensively. It came at the right time when Lomax benefitted from Bailyn Sullivan’s return off the sin bin that reconnected the Hurricanes team & also began to notice the Reds’ weaknesses with their attacking shape. Once the Reds were in trouble, Lomax further punished them with the support and communication needed to get the job done in any combination possible; the scrum/maul, phases to build some pressure, and execution past the TRY line. And with the Hurricanes being well safe in the winners’ circle, Lomax deserved a well-earned rest with two tries between half-time breaks after 67 minutes of play.

The next Hurricanes player to look at is Bailyn Sullivan, who plays No.13 in the outside centre role. Yes, he may not have had a good start when Sullivan had to sit 10 minutes on the bench with the yellow card. However, you cannot underestimate his hard work as soon as he came back on the field. The Canes are blessed to have their attacking shape working for the rest of tonight, with credit coming from Sullivan. He can combine the physical toughness that can not only filter out the Reds defensively, but he also adds some pace to execute in return with two tries scored v Reds here at AAMI Park. Without him, the Reds were in the lead earlier on before he came back to turn the tide that changed this match-up.

And one Queensland Reds player to look at is Fraser McReight on the openside back row in the No.7 shirt. He never stopped running and working hard all game, where his Reds team took advantage to get themselves ahead earlier in the 1st half. He also backed up his support runners back and forth while being roped in to protect defensively, which tested his physicality & guidance in this role at Super Rugby level. However, the Reds unfortunately let him down as a whole team when a disjointed attacking shape just faltered later during this match-up.

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Fraser McReight is one of the reasons why the Reds have a strong back-row after his outstanding performance last night on the openside at No.7. McReight took advantage of the Rebels’ problems by tackling defensively before running off and passing the ball to his teammates, who finished off his work for him. McReight also showed an exceptional balance between pace and physicality on the pitch, as he protected and looked after his team all night.

Next up is 23-year-old Lawson Creighton, who unexpectedly filled in for the majority at full-back, after Jordan Petaia had to come off at the 26th minute. Creighton has plenty of skills from his trade that served him well at Super Rugby level, including a superb mental awareness of his attacking & defensive contributions due to his six-foot height. In addition, his physicality helped the Reds team shield the Rebels’ attack at his end; and most importantly, his celerity, which enabled him to spot & intercept the Rebels’ lack of numbers through the far-right short side, leading to his own try in the 36th minute. He hopes that competition with Petaia at 15 will help the Reds stay on top going into the final six rounds of 2022, regardless of when he will start or be on the bench next game.

And Glen Vaihu caused the Reds a couple of headaches over in the left-wing last night for the Melbourne Rebels. It’s good to see him gain more Super Rugby experience as it goes, especially when graduating through the academy ranks at age 20. For the entire 80 minutes, his pace & work rate proved to be a valuable asset that helped the Rebels accrue the points they needed to stay in contention. Although the Rebels were unlucky to fall short by four points in the end (32-36), however, credit to a few returning stars that got the best out of his game, as it can only get better with the support this team needs to stay competitive at Super Rugby level.

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The Top 2 Australian Super Rugby teams take center stage for the second time tonight, as the Queensland Reds take on the ACT Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

It was a low-scoring affair in the first half when the Brums overtook the Reds 6-7 ahead of half-time – courtesy of Cam Clark, who made an immediate impact off the bench at full-back after he came on for the injured Jesse Mogg. The Reds rebound later in the second half with two more tries from Fraser McReight & Filipo Daugunu that secured the win, despite coping with 14 men at one point when debutant Tuaina Taii Tualima was given a red card following a dangerous tackle. The final score is 21-7 as the Reds end the Brumbies’ undefeated run after seven rounds in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season.

Brilliant start by the Brums in the opening first 40 when they took good advantage of the Reds’ first-half weaknesses with Cam Clark’s TRY. Thanks to Cam, the away team overtook the Reds’ early lead ahead of half-time with a one-point buffer (6-7). Unfortunately, they were swamped by problems after the break, with more messy discipline that prevented the Brums from scoring before it was too late.

Meanwhile, the Reds’ first-half run was up and down with a one-point trail ahead of half-time (6-7), despite opening the game with a three-point penalty goal from James O’Connor. Then this dangerous play from an unexpected debutant Tuaina Taii Tualima landed him a straight red card on the blindside; he had lots to learn on his first day out at Super Rugby level following Liam Wright’s injury before the game. But the Reds managed to regroup themselves after half-time when Fraser McReight’s TRY put the Reds back in front, which boosted their confidence. And they also noticed the Brums attack not being at the races tonight, where it played a role in the Reds’ extended winning margin.

The Brumbies will stay in Brisbane for a while before they will return to Suncorp Stadium next Saturday against the Fijian Drua.

The Reds, on the other hand, will now get a week-long bye next week as their next game will be at AAMI Park in Melbourne against the Rebels on Friday, 15 April.

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Jordan Petaia tops the Top 3 players list tonight when he was outstanding at full-back for the Queensland Reds. He’s tall, young, and talented at age 22, who can fit anywhere in the backline. However, his best position is full-back in the No.15 shirt, having just extended his contract for another two years. He can protect his Reds team defensively when reading & marking one of the Brums stars, so Petaia can hold them accountable with the tackling. He’s also good at clearing out with the kick in difficult situations before he can exploit his attacking skill sets further through the pitch; as long as he has the support players around him, that benefitted the best out of his game.

The next Reds player right after Petaia is Fraser McReight on the openside back row at No.7, as he’s so mobile alongside the physical grunt to grasp against opposition sides in all areas. He can also be an excellent contributor to his Reds team, thanks to his few years of experience with the Reds that reflected his hard work tonight. The biggest highlight of McReight on the field has to come from the 2nd half, where not only did he spot the Brums weaknesses through their messy discipline and attack. However, his big score past the TRY line at the same time has given the Reds some much-needed confidence. Thanks to McReight, the Reds’ extended winning margin threw them in the box seat towards winning before he came off the bench with an early mark; plus a week-long bye for next week.

And Cam Clark made an immediate impact as the best Brumbies player tonight down at replacement full-back when starter Jesse Mogg had to leave the field over a knee sprain. His TRY in the first half saw them overtake the Reds ahead of half-time, who has so much pace to unpack within the Brums backline, thanks to his Rugby 7s days & improved 15s experience. But a messy discipline & misfiring attack ruined the Brums momentum that ultimately robbed them of the game, especially when he was on the radar at one point with the yellow card.

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What a way to end Week 6 of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, when we looked back at this oldest rivalry, with the Queensland Reds host NSW Waratahs here at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. It was a tight opening 40 minutes of play where both teams were level 13-13 at the half-time break. However, the Reds returned to winning ways following their narrow loss v Brumbies in Canberra last week, as the final score is 32-20.

It may not be the night they liked to reflect on the loss from the Tahs, who got themselves firing with the sensational opening TRY from Jack Grant at half-back. They just couldn’t kick on when it comes to their attacking shape, which caused further lost penalties and opportunities against the ball later in the 2nd half. Not even the consolation TRY from sub hooker Tom Horton is barely enough to make up lost time towards the full-time siren.

Meanwhile, the Reds overcame a crucial 1st half spell when they were level with the Tahs at the break. Their starting loosehead front row in Dane Zander was sent off with a straight red, while Tate McDermott can debate that he didn’t deliberately knock a player down. However, the referee dismissed that claim where McDermott had to sit 10 mins in the naughty chair. Things got much better though later in the 2nd half when the Reds managed to bag two tries that turned the momentum around, as it was enough to maintain themselves in the winner’s circle. And to go from 13 men on the field to a late turnaround following the 20-minute red card replacement is incredible stuff from the home side.

The Tahs will be staying within QLD for a while, but this time it will be on the Gold Coast when they head off to Cbus Super Stadium next Friday v Fijian Drua. Then the best of the best Super Rugby teams in Australia between the Reds v Brumbies continues back at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday night.

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You got to praise the skipper first in James O’Connor. He was a key player in this Queensland Reds rebuild. Ever since head coach Brad Thorn lured him back in 2019. It may have been a divided move at the start. But he has proved them wrong.

He was blessed with the Reds strong defensive shape. That helped his side win penalties. In which allowed them to suit themselves. Where James scored a couple of three-pointers into the goalposts. They may have been behind ACT Brumbies for the majority tonight.

But Reds were able to take note of the opposition ill-discipline. Based on the amount of late penalties won. Before they finally found a way to nail down a touchdown. All thanks to the skipper himself in JOC. It was enough to get the home crowd cheering on. And celebrate in style with the championship. What an improved man he is right now. Having turned around a corner over the last 18 months. Now he leaves with this trophy!

Fraser McReight

Another Reds player who stood out is Fraser McReight. He is a focal part of this back row department. Both blindside & openside flanker. And never stood himself down through every game he plays. Even when Liam Wright was injured for most of the Super Rugby AU season. Then nailed down his place at No.7 without a doubt.

He was part of the Reds strong defensive setup. Where Fraser was tasked to look at the Brumbies weaknesses. Such as a lack of their decoy runners. And exposed their ill-discipline. That is one thing he held on defensively while they are isolated. Which helped his Reds side win a few penalties.

It may have taken some time to have the Reds fire back going forward. Especially when he used his physicality to knock down a few defenders. But remained patient for the whole time during the second 40. Where Fraser was able to keep the communication close. Before the gap was there for JOC to finish. And there goes him celebrating that big win. Well done on being an key player in that Reds back row. It will be very useful going into the Trans-Tasman leg & Wallabies stints.

Tom Banks

Commiserations to ACT Brumbies who led for the majority. But unable to held on going into the final siren. There is one player who gave the Reds a hard time tonight. His name is Tom Banks at full-back. He knows how to clean the ball out via the kicking to stay away from danger.

It helps him read better. So it can be hard for the Reds to defend. And make them isolate with no option going to touch. That allowed his Brumbies side to get themselves ahead early. Thanks to the patience shown in the attack. Which helped them win a few penalties. As well as more chances with the ball earlier on.

Such as scoring the first touchdown in the 2021 Super Rugby AU Final. Followed by a series of three-point penalty goals from his side. But the most disappointing part was the ill-discipline. Especially during the second 40. When the Brumbies saw their opponents have an extended run against them. With not much chance with the ball as seen from the previous run. Before there were three players sent to the naughty chair. And that ultimately cost Brumbies the win they badly needed.

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