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Suliasi Vunivalu stars as Reds win historic match in Samoa
By AAP
Suliasi Vunivalu has come to life as the Queensland Reds won for the first time overseas in four years to burst Moana Pasifika’s bubble in Samoa.
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Dropped from the squad that lost to the Brumbies last week, Wallabies hopeful and code-hopper Vunivalu was heavily involved in a 40-28 win at Apia Park on Friday.
Victory was the Reds’ first abroad since a 2019 win in Durban and ended a three-game Super Rugby Pacific losing streak.
Approached with caution given it was Moana’s first game in Samoa, the comfortable victory took some pressure off coach Brad Thorn and boosted the Reds’ finals hopes.
But they left a bonus point behind, two late Pasifika tries denying the visitors the extras that could prove crucial in the season wash-up.
Vunivalu’s stocks rose too, the winger scoring from an intercept after having a hand in two other first-half tries.
He linked up well with carving halfback Tate McDermott, who was not included with Vunivalu in Eddie Jones’ first Wallabies training camp that will gather next week.
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McDermott found gaps in the host’s defence early and it was Vunivalu in support, the winger offloading to Fraser McReight for the first try and then making another break that led to the first of Matt Faessler’s double.
When Vunivalu plucked a pass from mid-air and stepped back infield for a solo try it was 28-14, the Reds’ set piece then dominant in the second half to ensure no fairytale comeback.
Faessler went over behind a rolling maul before James O’Connor beat four men and offloaded for five-eighth Lawson Creighton for their sixth and final try in the 54th minute.
The home crowd still had plenty to cheer, Miracle Faiilagi scoring twice at the ground just down the road from his childhood village.
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His first finished a terrific full-field effort while centre Danny Toala made it 14-14 with his try.
Forward passes robbed the hosts of two more tries, the Reds doing as they pleased either side of those to accrue a match-winning lead despite their late wobble.
