Impressive forward trio Knight Tanielu, Zaine Gurney and Hugh Stanbury feasted on tries when the Queensland Reds Under-16s scored a landslide 64-12 win in Canberra today.
The commanding 10-try performance against the Western Force was the ideal way to start a demanding stretch of three games in eight days in the Super Rugby U16s competition.
The Reds will be back at Viking Park on Tuesday to play Victoria before home games at Ballymore Stadium against the ACT Brumbies (October 3) and NSW Waratahs (October 10).
The dominance of the Reds pack was evident throughout but never more than at the 13-minute mark when a lineout drive rolled 27m to the tryline.
Ipswich Grammar flanker Toby Bretherton won the lineout cleanly and the rumble began. He never detached and was a backpack when Stanbury surged over the line for 14-0.
The team showed they had the knack for attack as well at the 24-minute mark when Ipswich Grammar winger Daniel De Swardt scooted clear on the left sideline. Stanbury’s link play featured before hooker Nelsoni Taki dealt a short ball to put prop C’ezar-mayn Leota over.
The red-haired Stanbury was involved again with a pass off a lineout win to put the charging Tanielu over.
The 28-12 half-time lead grew quickly. Bretherton stayed on his feet and an offload put De Swardt over.
Tanielu ripped a turnover in midfield to ignite a try which involved Stanbury, the non-stop backrower from Gregory Terrace, before centre Will Jessiman crossed.
With 10 minutes to play, lock Gurney was rewarded for his industrious game with a pick-and-go try from 10m out after replacement forward Jeremiah Tuimavave had blasted ahead.
Long-striding fullback Tane Crampton was dangerous on attack, centre Digby Ioane handled twice in the final try and big lock Kian Van den Berg was adept at staying on his feet when driving ahead.
Tougher matches are ahead but this was a good shot of confidence with the eight reserves all getting around 20 minutes or longer in the case of sharp halfback Tom Nasser.
QUEENSLAND REDS 64
Tries: Knight Tanielu, Nelsoni Takai, Hugh Stanbury, C’ezar-mayn Leota, Daniel De Swardt, Will Jessiman, Tane Crampton, Zaine Gurney, Joseph Keke, Oliver Smith
Conversions: Daniel De Swardt 5, Tane Crampton 2
Defeated
WESTERN FORCE 12
Tries: Travarn Ackerman-Fifita 2
Conversion: Longoatu Jr Vaka
Half-time: Reds 28-Force 12
Venue: Viking Park, Canberra
