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Rampaging prop Taniela Tupou helps the Reds to an impressive win over Melbourne Rebels

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

A two-try haul by rampaging prop Taniela Tupou has helped the Queensland Reds to an impressive 44-19 win over Melbourne Rebels, reclaiming the top spot on the Super Rugby AU ladder. The Brumbies moved ahead after their thrilling win against the NSW Waratahs on Friday night but it was short-lived with the unbeaten Reds regaining the competition lead after Saturday night’s AAMI Park victory.

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The Rebels did themselves no favours with two of the Reds’ six-try haul scored from intercepted passes. The Tongan Thor first came off a maul in the third minute and Tupou was in again for the Reds in the 17th minute after James O’Connor split the defence and found the 135kg Wallabies prop on the charge.

Queensland skipper O’Connor said Tupou was a massive asset to the side, who have now won six from six. “Everyone notices Taniela for his big scrummaging and big runs but the amount of work the big fella does is second to none,” O’Connor told Stan Sports. 

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“He works tirelessly from sideline to sideline and does our big carries for us and our structure doesn’t work without our tight five, they’re integral.”

With centre Hunter Paisami intercepting a Reece Hodge pass and racing 80 metres to touch down, the Reds were out to a 24-0 lead after just 18 minutes. The shell-shocked Rebels finally got some ball to claw their way back into the match thanks to Frank Lomani, with the Fijian Test half-back playing on the wing.

He ran a superb line to benefit from a perfectly timed Matt Toomua pass and then six minutes later made a break and was able to offload to Hodge. The centre was chased hard by Queensland fullback Bryce Hegarty but managed to slam the ball over the line to put the Rebels back in the hunt at 24-14 at half-time.

But a second intercepted pass, this time thrown by Toomua, hurt the home side. Winger Jock Campbell snaffled the ball and flanker Fraser McReight dived across in the ensuing play, while Campbell then extended the margin himself in the 63rd minute.

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Melbourne No8 Michael Wells got a well-earned five-pointer soon after but the Reds remained in full control, even adding a late try to reserve back Josh Flook. Rebels captain Toomua said his team were rattled early on and failed to build enough pressure on the Reds.

“We were in it at half-time and then after that intercept, the game was pretty much done,” Toomua said. “I was glad we got back into a contest but ultimately you can’t give a team like that such a big lead.”

After spending the week on the road due to Covid-19 restrictions Queensland will return home to host the Brumbies next Saturday night with the top two teams jostling for a home final.

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J
JW 1 hour ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Where? I remember saying "unders"? The LNR was formed by the FFR, if I said that in a way that meant the 'pro' side of the game didn't have an equal representation/say as the 'amateur' side (FFR remit) that was not my intent.


But also, as it is the governing body, it also has more responsibility. As long as WR looks at FFR as the running body for rugby in France, that 'power' will remain. If the LNR refuses to govern their clubs use of players to enable a request by FFR (from WR) to ensure it's players are able to compete in International rugby takes place they will simply remove their participation. If the players complain to the France's body, either of their health and safety concerns (through playing too many 'minutes' etc) or that they are not allowed to be part in matches of national interest, my understanding is action can be taken against the LNR like it could be any other body/business. I see where you're coming from now re EPCR and the shake up they gave it, yes, that wasn't meant to be a separate statement to say that FFR can threaten them with EPCR expulsion by itself, simply that it would be a strong repercussion for those teams to be removed (no one would want them after the above).


You keep bringing up these other things I cannot understand why. Again, do you think if the LNR were not acting responsibly they would be able to get away with whatever they want (the attitude of these posters saying "they pay the players")? You may deem what theyre doing currently as being irresponsible but most do not. Countries like New Zealand have not even complained about it because they've never had it different, never got things like windfall TV contracts from France, so they can't complain because theyre not missing out on anything. Sure, if the French kept doing things like withholding million dollar game payments, or causing millions of dollars of devaluation in rights, they these things I'm outlining would be taking place. That's not the case currently however, no one here really cares what the French do. It's upto them to sort themselves out if they're not happy. Now, that said, if they did make it obvious to World Rugby that they were never going to send the French side away (like they possibly did stating their intent to exclude 20 targeted players) in July, well then they would simply be given XV fixtures against tier 2 sides during that window and the FFR would need to do things like the 50/50 revenue split to get big teams visiting in Nov.

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