Reds blow away Highlanders with 'out of this world' try as Wallabies captain goes between the legs
Updated . First published at
The Queensland Reds have ignited their Super Rugby Pacific campaign with an impressive 31-14 win over the Highlanders in Brisbane on Friday night.
The Reds had endured a frustrating start to the season, outgunned 36-12 by their arch-rival NSW Waratahs and having to stew on that result with a second round bye.
But the week off allowed coach Les Kiss to regain five Wallabies from injury, including Test captain Harry Wilson.
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And it was the burly-but-skilful No.8's brilliance which set the home side on the path to victory at Suncorp Stadium.
Wilson received a cutout pass from fullback Jock Campbell and with Highlanders No.10 Cam Millar about to tackle him, decided to play tunnel ball.
Alert to Wilson's skills, centre Josh Flook gathered the between-the-legs pass and flashed his own game with a deft sideline kick ahead.
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Fraser McReight of the Reds scores a try. Getty
Winger Tim Ryan gathered and hoofed the ball ahead again for skipper Fraser McReight to score a try that will be replayed many times this year and beyond (watch the video at the top of the page).
"What about the skills, spectacular! That's an out of this world try," Andrew Swain said on Stan Sport.
Tim Horan: "What a super try. It was like Harry Wilson was playing seven-a-side. Between the legs."
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Morgan Turinui: "Wilson, that's just impetuous. That's Fiji in the 1980s at the Hong Kong Sevens."
Wilson missed the round one game after undergoing off-season knee surgery.
"Luckily it didn't go 3m forward or everyone would have been laughing at me," Wilson told Stan Sport.
"But I'll keep going on YouTube, watching your (Alicia Lucas') highlights and maybe pull off a few more tricks."
The result eased a bit of pressure on Wallabies coach-in-waiting Kiss ahead of next weekend's mouthwatering clash with Stephen Larkham's ladder-leading ACT Brumbies in Canberra.
The Reds scored five tries to two in Carter Gordon's debut for the club.
Carter Gordon. Queensland Reds
"This is a special day for him, isn't it, you know, from a young kid who wanted to put this jersey on," Kiss said.
"I thought he directed us around the park pretty well. Wasn't quite clean with every pass, you know, just a few fumbles there, but I do think his composure was strong for us and he did a good job.
"I'll give credit to Harry McLaughlin-Phillips.
"We just had a message, close the game out, close the game out, and I thought he did a good job too."
It was a good night for the forwards as Matt Faessler, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Vaiuta Latu also scored tries as well as Ryan.
Rookies Adam Lennox and Adam Casey scored tries for the Highlanders, who are now 1-2 after their opening round upset of the Crusaders.
