BBC old boy Harry McLaughlin-Phillips honoured with man of the match award in Queensland Reds 31-29 victory over Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights at Ballymore
The Queensland Reds finished the year with a bang as they blooded 11 debutants in a thrilling match against the Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights at Ballymore Stadium. How it unfolded here.
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The Queensland Reds blooded a whopping 11 debutants in their enthralling 31-29 victory over the visiting Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights at Ballymore on Saturday.
Max Craig debuted at hooker, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen at prop, Cormac Daly at lock, John Bryant at flanker, Harry McLaughlin-Phillips at fly half and Tim Ryan on the wing.
Coming off the bench to make their debut was Moli Sooaemalagi, Massimo De Lutiis, Chris Minimbi, Lachlan Connors and Shaun Anderson.
Making a big impact off the bench was Junior Wallaby De Lutiis, who made a huge difference to the Reds scrum, especially in the 81st minute when the Queenslanders surged in the scrum to win a crucial penalty.
The Wild Knights had the feed in the scrum five metres out, on full-time, when down 31-29.
Bond University lock Lachlan Connors made for a dynamic showing off the bench as well with the St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe old boy showing great speed and agility.
Wingers Mac Grealy (two tries) and Tim Ryan scored for the home side, joining Louis Werchon and Josh Flook as tryscorers in Lawson Creighton’s first game as captain of the Reds.
“Personally, pretty honoured to be recognised with some of the greats in Queensland rugby,” Creighton said post-game on Stan Sport.
It truly was a new era for the Reds seeing the faces of Craig, man of the match McLaughlin-Phillips, De Lutiis, Bryant and Ryan in a circle after the game – players born in the 2000s.
“Some new look coaches coming in … Things to work on for the boys and a couple new recruits which is only going to be good for the group,” Creighton said post-game as the Reds finished 2023 on a winning note.
For the Wild Knights, Kazuma Shimane, Ryuhi Noguchi, Vince Aso and Yuji Shimogama scored tries.
BRYANT BRINGS A-GAME
St Laurence’s College old boy and Souths player John Bryant debuted in style for Queensland.
From the outset, Bryant asserted his dominance with a powerful pilfer at the breakdown which got the Reds out of potential danger.
In the fifth minute a Bryant surge up the midfield laid the platform for Mac Grealy to score off a Tim Ryan assist.
He did not stop there.
The powerfully built Bryant busted through the line again, this time chewing up a valuable 20 metres before unloading on the ground.
This was all in the first half and it was enough to show Reds head coach Les Kiss what the versatile young gun, who can play flanker and No. 8, is all about.
MCLAUGHLIN-PHILLIPS TOOK LESS THAN A MINUTE TO SHOW WHY HE IS NEXT UP
Exciting fly half prospect Harry McLaughlin-Phillips did everything right in his first Queensland Reds appearance, the Brisbane Boys’ College alumni taking less than a minute to show what he can offer.
In the 30th second, McLaughlin-Phillips made a split-second decision to put in a chip-and-chase, which he regained, after seeing referee Damon Murphy put out his arm to signify a Reds penalty advantage.
It was McLaughlin-Phillips to a tee. He is a player who can make a quick read and make a big play.
Moments later, he showed his power through the hips when he made a line-break and found Ryan, who passed it out to Grealy who ran the distance.
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Scrumhalf Kalani Thomas made a trysaving tackle, a momentum-halting tackle to dislodge the ball from man mountain Ben Gunter and was accurate as ever with his passing.
The Ipswich Grammar old boy who plays for University has 31 Queensland caps to his name and at the end of the club rugby season, he dabbled in New Zealand’s top competition the National Provincial Championship (NPC) for Auckland.
Thomas is still just 21 years old and doesn’t turn 22 till April next year so his best rugby is ahead of him.
Ahead of him in the pecking order is of course Wallabies halfback Tate McDermott and behind him is up-and-coming Wests Bulldogs scrumhalf Louis Werchon who was busy when coming into the game in the 55th minute.
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