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Impressive Reds open season in style to defeat Moana Pasifika
Darren Walton, AAP • February 22nd, 2025 6:00 am
Tim Ryan was among the try-scorers as the Reds comfortably beat Moana Pasifika | Photo: Darren England/AAP
The Queensland Reds have lived up to their bookmakers' top billing with a stylish 56-36 season-opening Super Rugby Pacific win over Moana Pasifika in Brisbane.
With 13 Wallabies in their match-night 23, the star-studded Reds resisted a spirited fightback from Moana to record a runaway eight-tries-to-five victory on Friday night.
Having trailed 21-0 after a dozen minutes, the Pasifika pulled to within seven points of the lead midway through the second half after the Reds had three players yellow-carded.
But quickfire tries to locks Angus Blyth and Ryan Smith in the space of three minutes turned a precarious six-point buffer into a commanding 42-22 advantage for the home side.
There was no coming back for Moana as the Reds registered a season-opening win even without sidelined ex-Wallabies captain Liam Wright.
"Look, when you've got a man down, you've got to simplify things," McDermott said.
"Discipline is key. Man on feet is key and the boys did an excellent job with that."
Revelling in the wet conditions, the Reds bolted out of the blocks with three tries in the opening 11 minutes through Wright's fill-in, tough-nut No.8 Seru Uru, and prolific wingers Filipo Daugunu and Tim Ryan.
Ryan's try was the so-called Junkyard Dog's 10th in 10 appearances for the Reds, surely keeping the 21-year-old in the eye of Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.
The Pacific Islanders reduced the halftime deficit to eight points courtesy of a try to inspirational captain Ardie Savea and a penalty goal to fullback William Havili.
But moments after being injected into the fray, first-choice Wallabies hooker Matt Faesler came off the bench for the Reds to blow the game open.
Faesler peeled off the back of a driving maul to score in the 43rd minute and swing the momentum back the Reds' way.
Despite the two sides trading six more five-pointers, the result was never in doubt.
The Reds hope they will only become better when Wright finally returns after more than six months on the sidelines with a shoulder injury - one match into the flanker's Wallabies captaincy.
"I'm hoping to get some minutes next week," Wright told Stan Sport.
"It's been a tough journey."
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