The Queensland Reds produced a superb 21-6 win in steamy Lautoka today to topple the Fijian Drua on Fijian soil for the first time in Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific.
The Reds scored three tries for the bonus-point win and supreme defence did what many thought impossible by keeping the flamboyant Fijians tryless for the full 80 minutes.
It is the first time since the Drua entered the competition in 2022 that they have been held tryless in a match in Fiji.
A fourth straight win jumped the Reds to third on the table pending tonight's final match in Round Six.
As head coach Les Kiss had indicated pre-match, the Reds had to stick to their own game plan not be drawn into playing the Fijians at their own open game.
They enacted that expertly, kicking and pressuring well when needed, clinically striking for two tries and generating a rumbling rolling maul try to put the game out of reach in the second half.
All the while, Reds defenders swarmed so the sweaty, wet ball from a pre-game thunderstorm was harder to handle for the Fijians. Forwards Aidan Ross and Seru Uru teamed for one turnover tackle and centres Isaac Henry and Hunter Paisami did the same later in the match.
The Reds didn't give up a point at a pivotal time in the match just after half-time when the lead was a single point (7-6) and the team had to defend with only 14 men for 10 minutes while fullback Jock Campbell was in the sin bin for a professional foul.
Standout winger Filipo Daugunu stood tall in this period as he did for the match. He secured one of his four turnover wins to rescue a dangerous situation when the Drua were on attack.
Flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips had one of his best matches for the Reds. A kick for a 50-22 was smart work late in the first half and he scored the key try for a 14-6 lead. On 54 minutes, replacement halfback Louis Werchon fed lock Seru Uru close to the ruck. Uru's incision became a full-on attack when he fed skipper Harry Wilson. When a quick ruck was formed in the Fijian quarter, McLaughlin-Phillips slipped into halfback, dummied and dashed to the tryline when a big left foot step beat two tacklers.
The performance in Lautoka was a strong endorsement for the work done to build the Reds squad with McLaughlin-Phillips, flanker John Bryant and prop Nick Bloomfield stepping up in the absence of Carter Gordon, Fraser McReight and Zane Nonggorr.
Captain Wilson was delighted to create a piece of history after three losing visits to Fiji since the Drua joined Super Rugby Pacific in 2022.
"It's awesome to get our first win over here," Wilson told Sky Pacific on the sidelines.
"Obviously, it's a really tough place to play and the Fijian Drua are a really good team.
"To keep them tryless is pretty special. In Jock Campbell's 100th game for Queensland we really wanted to put in a shift for him and we did.
"I think we've improved each week with these four wins on the trot and this performance is our best to date."
The Drua led 3-0 early before the Reds produced an excellent try at the 24-minute mark for halfback Kalani Thomas.
Right winger Daugunu had bobbed up on the opposite side of the field to force a Drua handling error with pressure after a Reds' kick.
The ball was spread to the right until centre Hunter Paisami threw a neat inside pass to winger Tim Ryan, who put Thomas away.
The Reds' 7-6 lead at half-time was notable for the fine defence marshalled by defence coach Brad Davis. It was a mix of harrassing line speed to get in the faces of the Fijians, nailing targets and scrambling well when needed.
In the first half, Daugunu's impact was immense. He bumped through defenders, he saved a tricky situation by running the ball out of his own quarter, he made tackles and caught the high balls put up by the Fijians.
In the second half, he even appeared in the rolling maul that shunted hooker Richie Asiata to the tryline at 62-minute mark.
Daugunu ended the match with a team-high 12 ball carries for 87 running metres. Flanker John Bryant (19 tackles) and Ross (11) led the tackle numbers.
The Reds' back three of Campbell, Ryan and Daugunu diffused the high kicks put up by the Fijians.
The Reds now prepare for a huge clash against the table-topping Hurricanes in Wellington next Saturday.
Queensland Reds 21
Tries: Kalani Thomas, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, Richie Asiata
Conversions: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 3
Def
Fijian Drua 6
Penalty Goals: Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula 2
Half-time: Reds 7-Drua 6
Venue: Churchill Park, Lautoka
