The Western Force's 40-31 win over the Queensland proved Super Rugby Pacific is one of - if not - the most competitive club competition in the world.
The Force were clear underdogs heading into the match but rattled the Reds early on and did enough late to close out the win against one of the form teams of the opening month.
Catch every game of Super Rugby Pacific LIVE on Stan Sport. Start your Free Sport Trial Now
So what did we learn?
It took five weeks but the Western Force finally delivered the type of performance that can spark their season
They looked full of energy and hungry around the breakdown as they made life hell for the Reds. The Force were doing all the things that had made the Reds an early title favourite whether it was disrupting the breakdown, punishing mistakes and dominating at set-piece time.
In attack, they were clinical as they recorded 40 points against the Reds for the first time in seven years.
There was a lot of soul searching after their worst performance of 2024 but this was a complete 180. It was the closest 80-minute performance we've seen out of the Force for a very long time.
Simon Cron will be delighted with the response but this needs to be the standard bearer, not a one-off or something that appears for 10 or 15 minutes.
The Reds looked like they were still on Queensland time such was the drop-off in performance at HBF Park in the first half.
It was summed up late in the half when Harry Wilson did great work to spark the first try, only to drop the kick-off cold. They couldn’t get off their own line with an inexcusable lineout mistake when the throw didn’t go five when they went to the front, allowing the Force to score before the break.
Wilson did the same thing after Tate McDermott’s second try, allowing Bayley Kuenzle to stroll over.
The Reds eventually woke up and worked their way into the game but the deficit was too much to overcome.
The Reds have had a tough start to the season and perhaps their second-half lull against the Rebels was a sign the brutal opening month was starting to take its toll. However, they can’t afford to do the same next week against the Brumbies in a battle of the two best-performing Australian sides over the past decade.
Carlo Tizzano was a man possessed as he ran rings around the Reds at the breakdown.
He was full of energy and a sheer menace at the breakdown with a trio of turnovers in the first half. It caught the Reds off guard and sent the message that they weren’t going to bully the Force like they have to other sides in 2024.
The flanker looked to have found his way over the line in a mess of bodies on the goal line, but the try eventually went to Tom Franklin. He wasn't denied in the second half, palming Ryan Smith and racing away for the try.
Tizzano is the type of guy that finds another level when pitted against the best and there’s no one better at the moment than Fraser McReight. Tizzano gave the Wallaby a taste of his own medicine, even if the Wallaby incumbent started to find his feet at the end.
He is a genuine Wallabies bolter with the type of mongrel and physicality that will tick plenty of boxes in Joe Schmidt’s selection criteria.
Simon Cron has found his backline combination, which torched the Reds throughout the contest
Ben Donaldson looked silky in all aspects, whether it was at first or second playmaker, piecing the Force apart with his ball playing skills.
The decision to move Harry Potter to fullback was an inspired decision. Potter and Donaldson have a great combination and it showed early when the two linked up for the opening try to Bayley Kuenzle, who looked at home on the wing despite his lack of experience in the role.
White meanwhile went toe for toe with Wallaby teammate Tate McDermott, one of few Reds to make an impact on the game, and came out with the win. As for the centres, Sam Spink was back at his best from injury and Hamish Stewart stepped up against his old side.
Super Rugby Pacific is a wild competition but if you’d said the Crusaders would be last a third of the way into the season, you’d be classified as insane.
The Force’s win over the Reds leaves the most successful team in Super Rugby stranded at the bottom as the lone winless team.
Given they play the Chiefs next week, you wouldn’t expect this to change.
Then again, it’s Super Rugby - the unexpected is the new normal.
