The St.George Queensland Reds have claimed a dominant 57-5 victory over the Melbourne Rebels in their first pre-season match of 2020 in Gladstone.
In humid conditions at Marley Brown Oval, Queensland ran in nine-tries-to-one in a clinical attacking display, with winger Filipo Daugunu crossing for five tries of his own in front of a strong Central Queensland crowd.
Reds head coach Brad Thorn said: “It was a good hit-out. Pleased we got through with no injuries.
“They’ve been training and working hard and it’s important to get out on the park and have that first hit-out. It’s good to see the start of some combinations.
“It was really good to play in Gladstone. We’re really pleased to come here. We’ve been really warmly received here and hoping they enjoyed the game,” said Thorn.
Queensland opened the scoring early after Daugunu sliced his way through the defence on the back of a neat James O’Connor pass, before the flying winger raced 30-metres to score in the third minute. Hegarty’s conversion gave the home side a 7-nil lead.
Another Reds five-pointer followed in the 11th minute, the Queensland forward pack sending Brandon Paenga-Amosa over the line with a dominant rolling-maul from a 5-metre lineout.
Daugunu had his second try in the 26th minute, after playmakers Isaac Lucas, Hegarty and O’Connor combined up with a number of slick passes to give the winger the space he needed to cross close to the right-hand corner. Hegarty slotted the difficult conversion to put the score out to 21-nil.
Hegarty crossed next for the hosts, the fullback charging onto a sublime O’Connor inside ball from close to the line to score his side’s fourth try.
Daugunu soon notched a first-half hat-trick through some excellent support play after Tate McDermott broke the line and found the winger on his inside with a deft flick-pass. Hegarty continued his perfect form of the kicking tee on both occasions to give his side a 35-nil lead at the half-time break.
The second-half saw a number of changes to the Queensland line-up but it failed to halt the Reds' momentum, as hooker Alex Mafi burrowed his way through the defence to score in the 43rd minute.
The Rebels broke through for the first try in the 52nd minute, backrower Matt Gicquel crossing to lessen the deficit to 40-5.
Queensland replied with another try of their own in the 61st minute, a pinpoint cross-field Hegarty kick putting Daugunu over close to the left-hand corner for his fourth try. Hegarty slotted his seventh conversion to give his side a 42-point lead.
Daugunu had his fifth in the 66th minute, a Hegarty cut out ball putting Chris Feauai-Sautia into space deep in the Queensland half before the experienced centre found Daugunu who streaked 50-metres to score.
An enterprising piece of Moses Sorovi attack soon gave the Reds their ninth and final try, after the scrumhalf kicked a loose ball through the defence and won the ensuing footrace to score and give his side a 57-5 lead with eight-minutes to play.
Daugunu was shown a red-card in the 75th minute for a dangerous tackle, as the Reds claimed a 52-point win in their first pre-season match.
Queensland will head to Dalby next Friday to take on the Waratahs at 7:30 AEST in what is their final hit-out before the 2020 Vodafone Super Rugby season.
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