Queensland Reds beat Fijian Drua in Brisbane

The Queensland Reds will face the Fijian Drua for the first time in Super Rugby; the Reds have won five of their last six Super Rugby games when they’ve faced a team for the first time, losing only to the Jaguares in 2017 (22-8) in that time.

Queensland has won their first three games of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific campaign. They will be looking to open a Super Rugby season with four straight wins for just the second time in the history of the tournament after winning their first seven games of the 2021 Super Rugby AU season.

• The Reds have lost three of their last five Super Rugby games at home when hosting non-Australian sides (W2) and will be looking to avoid back-to-back defeats in such fixtures for the first time since April 2017 after a 31-24 defeat to the Blues in their most recent such game (June 2021).
• The Drua picked up their first Super Rugby win in Round 3, defeating the Melbourne Rebels 31-26; they have lost both of their games as the away team on the day, each by a margin of 30 points or more.
• No team has conceded more penalties within their own 22m zone this Super Rugby Pacific season than the Queensland Reds (12); the Fijian Drua have conceded nine penalties in this part of the field.
• Fijian Drua (90%) have the second-highest goal success rate from place kicks in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, 11 percentage points higher than the Reds (79%).
• The Fijians have made 10.7 entries into the opposition 22m zone per game this Super Rugby Pacific season, the second-most of any team; however, no team has scored fewer points per entry into the opposition 22m zone than the Fijian Drua (1.1).

Players to watch

• Jock Campbell has scored one try in three of his last five games in Super Rugby when playing at fullback on the day , including tries in Rounds 1 and 3 of the current Super Rugby Pacific season.
• Harry Wilson has crossed the gainline on a carry 33 times in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition, the most of any player in the competition and 11 more than second-ranked Ardie Savea (22) of the Hurricanes.
• Vinaya Habosi has gained 219 metres in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition, more than any other player in the competition.

Match detail

We are waiting for the kick-off.

In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.

1.00: PEEEP! We are underaway at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.

4.00: Queensland win a penalty after Kalaveti Ravouvou’s stunning 60-metre kick and run from the Drua 22 to the Reds’ 22.

5.00: TRY! Jordan Petaia beats Baden Kerr on the outside to open the scoring. The try came from some slick backline handling by the Reds to sent the fullback away. 5-0

6.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 5-0

8.00: Drua earn a penalty after another promising attack.

9.00: PENALTY! Teti Tela puts the visitors on the board. 5-3

13.00: Fijian Drua enjoying some joy as they win a fourth penalty in a row. Mick Byrne looks to have ironed out the lineout issues, but the set-piece is still very scrappy as Drua’s maul is pushed into touch.

16.00: It’s been a fast start to this game, both teams could – and should – have a couple more tries.

18.00: Fijian Drua win their scrum, but lose possession at the ruck, and concede a penalty. James O’Connor kicks to the corner.

20.00: Fijian Drua wins the penalty at the lineout, but Queensland launch a counter-attack, which ends with another breakdown penalty.

22.00: Fraser McReight is held up after a bulldozing driving maul by the Reds forwards. No try, goal-line drop-out.

23.00: TRY! More slick backline handling by the Reds ends with Harry Wilson taking Hunter Paisami’s inside pass and running over defenders to double his team’s tally. 10-3

24.00: CONVERSION! O’Conner adds the extras. 12-3

26.00: PENALTY! Tela halves the gap. 12-6

28.00: Drua either kicking from their half, or trying to go wide on the counter, but it is hurting them.

29.00: NO TRY! A sensational score by Seru Uru, made by the forwards and Kalani Thomas, is chalked off. Josh Nasser’s pass to McReight in the build up is forward. 12-6

31.00: Hary Hoopert is pinged at the scrum. Fijian Drua clear the danger.

33.00: THREE YELLOW CARDS! Nasser is off for a no-arms high shot on Fijian Drua captain Meli Derenalagi, and Hoopert is off for a late hit on Peni Matawalu during the same attack. Samuela Tawake gets a card for foul play at the ruck. WOW! 12-6

34.00: Meli Derenalagi’s decision to scrum instead of kicking to the corner works. His team wins another penalty before some backchat moves the attackers near the Reds’ line.

35.00: NO TRY! Vinaya Habosi is held up after fijian Drua decided on a tap-and-go for their penalty. 12-6

36.00: Reds win a penalty on the Drua 22 after Petaia set up a counter-attack after being taken out in the air. O’Connor goes to the corner.

38.00: A poor lineout by the Reds sees the Fijian Drua get a scrum near their try line. This game is entertaining despite its lack of quality.

41.00: PENALTY! O’Connor extends. 15-6

The halftime score was Queensland Reds 15 Fijian Drua 6

41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway down under.

43.00: Both teams are back to 15 players apiece. The total points during the sin-binnings was only three.

46.00: PENALTY! Tela makes it 15-9.

49.00: PENALTY! O’Connor cancels. 18-9

51.00: Petaia smokes Onisi Ratave into touch with a big hit near the Reds’ try line.

53.00: McReight, who has been everywhere, steals the ball at the breakdown, and the home team clears the danger.

57.00: TRY! McReight wanted to scrum, but O’Connor over-ruled, opting for touch. The standoff was not disapointed as his forwards barged their way over the line for Nasser to score. 23-9.

59.00: MISS! The kick hits the post. 23-9

63.00: TRY! Game over after Nasser’s fancy footwork bamboozles right-winger Selesitino Ravutaumada. 28-9

65.00: MISS! Hunter Paisami’s kick goes to the opposite corner flag. 28-9

67.00: TRY! Tela puts Mesulame Dolokoto through a hole before the hooker’s deft pass sends Onisi Ratave away down the right-hand touchline. 28-14

68.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 28-16

69.00: TRY! Jock Campbell drops a simple pass on the Drua 22, and Joseva Tamani picks up the ball and races all way down the fiels to score under the sticks. 28-21

70.00: CONVERSION! Drop-kicked two. 28-23

72.00: TRY! Habosi levels to the astonishment of the crowd. it came from a scrum outside the Fijian’s 22 when Apisalome Vota’s linebreak set up the winger. 28-28

74.00: MISS! Tela hits the post. 28-28

77.00: Time is running out; we might have extra time!

78.00: TRY! Uru picks up the ball and dives over the line to put the Reds ahead at the death. 33-28

79.00: MISS! Lawson Creighton also hits the post. 33-28

81.00: Reds are offside, Tela kicks to the corner: HERE WE GO AGAIN!

83.00: Uru wins the lineout for the Reds, who hang on for the win. WOW!

FULL TIME

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The final score is Queensland Reds 33 (15)  Fijian Drua 28 (6)

Scorers

Reds
Tries – Pataia, Wilson, Nasser (2), Uru
Pen – O’Connor (2)
Con – O’Connor
Drop –
Cards – Nasser, Hoopert (Yellows, 33′)

Fijian Drua
Tries – Ratave, Tamani, Habosi
Pen – Tela (3)
Con – Tela (2)
Drop –
Cards – Tawake (Yellow, 33′)

Match Officials
Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant Ref 1: Nic Berry
Assistant Ref 2: Reuben Keane
TMO: Brett Cronan

Teams

Queensland Reds

15 Jordan Petaia, 14 Jock Campbell, 13 Hunter Paisami, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Josh Flook, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (captain), 6 Seru Uru, 5 Angus Blyth, 4 Ryan Smith, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Harry Hoopert

Replacements: 16 Matt Faessler, 17 Feao Fotuaika, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Connor Vest, 20 Tuiana Taii Tualima, 21 Spencer Jeans, 22 Lawson Creighton, 23 Mac Grealy

Fijian Drua

15 Baden Kerr, 14 Selesitino Ravutaumada, 13 Apisalome Vota, 12 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 11 Vinaya Habosi, 10 Teti Tela, 9 Peni Matawalu, 8 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 7 Vilive Miramira, 6 Meli Derenalagi (captan), 5 Ratu Rotuisolia, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Samuela Tawake, 2 Mesulame Dolokoto, 1 Kaliopasi Uluilakepa

Replacements: 16 Zuriel Togiatama, 17 Jone Koroiduadua, 18 Saulo Romumu, 19 Sorovakatini Tuifagalele, 20 Joseva Tamani, 21 Frank Lomani, 22 Jona Mataiciwa, 23 Onisi Ratave