Queensland Reds hand Brumbies their first defeat of the Super Rugby Pacific season

Filipo Daugunu scored a try in his 50th appearance for Queensland as the Reds ended the Brumbies’ winning streak.

The Queensland Reds defied yet another red card to end the Brumbies’ perfect start to the Super Rugby Pacific season with a 21-7 win at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Beaten only two weeks earlier by the same opponent in Canberra, the Reds hit back hard on home soil to hand the Brumbies their first loss of the 2022 campaign.

The Brumbies led 7-6 at halftime but the Reds took total control of the contest from the start of a second half that included tries to flanker Fraser McReight and winger Filipo Daugunu.

Daugunu’s 68th-minute try came in his 50th appearance for Queensland and capped off a memorable night for the Reds.

In contrast, it was a disappointing evening for the Brumbies, whose poor run at Suncorp Stadium continued. They haven’t won at the famous venue since 2015.

Despite their win, the Reds disciplinary problems continued in the 34th minute when flanker Tuaina Taii Tualima, a late inclusion for the injured Liam Wright, was sent off after his shoulder connected dangerously with the head of Brumbies prop James Slipper.

It was the second match in succession that the Reds had a player sent off after prop Dane Zander was dismissed for a dangerous tackle a week earlier against the Waratahs.

The Reds celebrate Filipo Daugunu’s try in their win over the Brumbies. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

Powerhouse Reds prop Taniela Tupou was sin-binned late for a professional foul on Brumbies replacement halfback Nic White.

However, the Reds had sealed the game by then, with their sixth victory of the season moving them level on points with the first-placed Brumbies.

Despite the win, Queensland coach Brad Thorn said the Reds had to improve to beat the New Zealand teams in the competition and contend for the title.

“We left a lot of points out there,” Thorn said.

“For where we want to go in this competition, we’ve got to be better/

“Those opportunities, loose carries, loose possession ... I probably sound a bit grumpy, but there’s a lot left out there.

“The errors, the penalties ... we can’t afford that with who we’re coming up against.

“It’s not (Super Rugby) AU this year, it’s not some little thing between us and the Brumbies, this is trans-Tasman and we want to compete.”

The Brumbies also had disciplinary issues, with flanker Rob Valetini and replacement back Cam Clark each sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes in the second half.

Valetini was yellow carded for a high shot of Reds co-captain Tate McDermott, while Clark saw yellow for a deliberate knockdown in attempting to defuse a Queensland attacking raid.

Clark scored the game’s opening try in the 23rd minute, slicing through Queensland’s defence out wide.

Former Waratah Clark had come on in the ninth minute as a replacement for Brumbies fullback Jesse Mogg, who suffered a knee injury.

Mogg’s injury came a week after the Brumbies lost their first-choice custodian Tom Banks to a facial injury.

The Reds suffered a blow in the warm-up, with co-captain Wright ruled out of the match after injuring his ankle. He was replaced in Queensland’s starting side by Tualima, whose night was to also end prematurely.

Originally published as Queensland Reds hand Brumbies their first defeat of the Super Rugby Pacific season