The Queensland Reds today finished their Super Rugby AUS campaign on a high note with a convincing 47-22 victory in Perth.
The Reds ran in seven tries to beat the Western Force who will host the competition final against the NSW Waratahs next Sunday.
The wasteful 47-19 loss to the Waratahs in Narrabri a week ago was costly because that head-to-head result was the tie-breaker to settle a spot in the final when both clubs finished on nine points. The Force collected 10 to finish in top spot.
The Reds will reflect on the positive gains from their three-game stretch.
Today, it was the combination of forward authority and well-executed backline plays to shake off the Narrabri disappointment.
Players stepped up everywhere with strong displays, including Buildcorp Reds Academy graduates Xavier Rubens and Charlie Brosnan, who both played 80 minutes.
Winger Rubens showed pace and decisive moves for his two tries and lock Brosnan's workrate backed up being his side's top lineout winner.
The Reds took charge of the game with three converted tries in eight minutes midway through the first half to jump from 7-5 to 28-5.
Rubens' first diving try was a result of halfback Kalani Thomas working the shortside with fullback Heremaia Murray.
His second was a perfectly-timed incision when centre Dre Pakeho had taken the ball to the line and put him through a gaping hole.
Sandwiched between those tries was a classic prop try from Jeffery Tomaga-Allen. Thomas made a dummied dart from the ruckbase and fed the former All Black who dashed over from 15m out. Toomaga-Allen also set the tone of intent early with two pilfers at the breakdown.
The half-time score of 28-10 swelled when young No.8 Vaiuta Latu scored for a second time with a pick-and-go. Both owed equally to quick Reds' ruck-ball and his low, powerful drives.
Replacement winger Will Cartwright bumped through the final defender for his second half try. Replacement halfback James Martens scored his own with a dummy and stretch from the ruckbase to finish the Reds' tryscoring.
Flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips knocked over six-from-seven conversions in a tricky wind.
"Credit to the players. We told them to have fun and enjoy and they put on a good, physical showing with plenty of skilful touches to put the previous performance behind us," Reds Head Coach Les Kiss said.
"I thought Kalani and Harry controlled the game well. We had sharp leadership from 'Faes' (Matt Faessler) and 'Flooky' (Josh Flook) and Joe Brial did a good job calling the lineouts for the first time.
"Charlie Brosnan stepped up as a starter and Vaiuta continues to show what he's got after getting his break in this competition."
The three-game Super Rugby AUS series provided the Reds with an opportunity to give extended game time to Latu and flanker Tom Robinson while Brosnan and Rubens both acquitted themselves well today.
The series did exactly as billed. It also provided valuable game time for positive returns from injury for Toomaga-Allen, Murray and Wallabies hooker Matt Faessler.
Faessler was impressive in his 63 minutes. The skipper was offloading and tackling deep into his shift on top of nailing his throws to the leaping Brosnan.
Brosnan was a late inclusion for Hamish Muller which meant University of Queensland lock Jack Brady enjoyed 17 minutes off the bench.
The Reds will regroup for two matches against Japan's Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in Toowoomba (October 18) and at Ballymore Stadium (October 25).
QUEENSLAND REDS 47
Tries: Vaiuta Latu 2, Xavier Rubens 2, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Will Cartwright, James Martens
Conversions: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 6
Defeated
WESTERN FORCE 22
Tries: Max Burey, Henry Palmer, Ben Donaldson, George Poolman
Conversion: Ben Donaldson
Half-time: Reds 28-Force 10
Venue: Tompkins Park, Perth
