History

With the introduction of professional Rugby, the game moved to a model where players were contracted to the Reds through the Queensland Rugby Union as part of a Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition.

Teams from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Japan and Argentina have competed in the competition in a variety of formats since, with the Reds involved in the competition since its inception in 1996. 

Queensland won its first title in 2011, beating the Crusaders in front of a packed Suncorp Stadium crowd. 

The COVID-19 pandemic saw international travel restricted and the three-conference, globe-trotting tournament that was Super Rugby put on hold. 

As a result, five Australian teams – the Reds, Brumbies, Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and New South Wales Waratahs – came together to contest the Super Rugby AU competition. 

The Brumbies narrowly defeated Queensland in the Final of the inaugural season, before the Reds defeated their Canberran rivals to claim the 2021 title in front of a 42,000-strong crowd at Suncorp Stadium.