The Brumbies have notched a 27-24 win over the Reds in a Canberra scorcher, fighting back with three tries in the second half to overcome a 10-point halftime deficit to start their season with a win.
The home side set the mark for Aussie teams to follow; young guns are one the rise; and the Reds could be without an important piece of the puzzle for their overseas tour.
MCKELLAR BLASTS '"DANGEROUS" CONDITIONS AFTER SWELTERING OPENER
Here's what we're talking about after round one.
1. The Brumbies set the benchmark for all Aussie teams
It hardly seems a surprising statement about the team that won the Australian conference last year and finished within a win of the Super Rugby final.
But after losing senior players including Christian Lealiifano and Rory Arnold to overseas clubs, the Brumbies have had to replace key parts of the puzzle ahead of the new season.
While disappointed with some aspects of their game - after a slow start, the Reds dominated the set piece in the first half and were dangerous when they managed the expansive style they have promised this season - coach Dan Mckellar and captain allan Alaalatoa praised the grit shown in the second half, not only to fight back but to hang on when Queensland surged in the dying minutes.
With bushfires on their doorstep, the club acknowledging the work of fire fighters ahead of the match and an air of uncertainty in the ACT, it was an emotional win for the Brumbies and one that could prove pivotal again an opponent that is likely to challenge them when the two meet again in Brisbane in March.
The Waratahs and Rebels are yet to play but they have already been set a mark by their Aussie rivals.
2. Young guns fire on debut
Much has been made of the Junior Wallabies that will flow into Super Rugby this season after their successful U20 World Cup campaign last year. And Noah Lolesio and Harry Wilson did little to dull the excitement with their performances on Friday night.
Lolesio recovered from a couple of loose touches and poor decisions in the first half - admittedly behind a pack that was being dominated by the Reds for large stages - to help lead his team's second-half revival.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar praised his flyhalf's composure and ability to "park" mistakes and get on with the job. Lolesio just edged Reds counterpart Isaac Lucas - his Junior Wallabies teammate - on points despite some classy touches from the Queenslander.
Lucas made his Super Rugby debut last year but it was another Reds player and Junior Wallabies campaigner, Harry Wilson who impressed in his first outing in maroon, managing 54m from 14 carries and a late try that gave Queensland a chance to steal the match in the dying minutes.
His efforts earned praise from both McKellar and Brad Thorn, although he will need to temper the exuberance that led to four turnovers if he is to be able to dominate at this level.
3. Reds facing challenges on tough road trip
The Brumbies host the Rebels and Highlanders over the next fortnight and have an opportunity to get off to a flying start at home, a stark contrast to the Reds, who need to try to bounce back from Friday's disappointment while undertaking one of the toughest road trips in world sport.
And they may have to do it without hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa who ended his night in hospital undergoing scans on an ankle injury that forced him off in the early minutes of the match.
Losing the former Wallabies rake would be a massive blow to the Reds, who were in emergency talks last night about reshaping their touring side to South Africa and Argentina should Paenga-Amosa be unavailable.
Alex Mafi did well to last the game after being relegated to the rehab group for much of the off-season after the recurrence of a calf injury suffered in Wallabies camp last year. Izack Rodda, JP Smith and Feao Fotuaika played their first minutes of the season after missing both trials due to injury and will be better for the time under their belts.
But Queensland need them to be on song over the next fortnight, with gaining at least one win crucial if the Reds are to tempt fans back to Suncorp for their first home game against the Sunwolves on February 22.
4. Solomone Kata worth the gamble
Rugby league convert Solomone Kata showed why he is worth the gamble in his Super Rugby debut that served as a tantalising entre to the rest of the Super Rugby season.
A Tonga rugby representative at junior level, Kata switched to league in 2013 before being lured back from the NRL by the Brumbies for the 2020 season, to add a physicality to the backline.
He did that in the opening minutes, making a strong run early in the match before setting up Irae Simone's match-opening try with another barnstorming run.
But his defence impressed McKellar just as much. A bone-rattler on Henry Speight in the second half forced the Reds to lose possession and quick ball movement from the Brumbies found another league convert, Tom Wright, on the opposite flank, who dragged Lucas over the line to score.
While he was caught out of position at times, Kata will be better for 60 minutes under his belt ahead of a clash with the Rebels. He's unlikely to be directly opposite another ex leaguey in Marika Koroibete but the John Eales Medalist's success in his new code is likely to provide great motivation.
5. Kicking - a problem last year, problem again for Reds
The Reds were plagued by poor kicking in general play for much of last season and while they have both worked extremely hard over the off-season, both Bryce Hegarty and Isaac Lucas had lacklustre games with the boot on Friday as the Reds battled for field position for much of the match.
Both men seemingly suffered the yips early in the match and while they settled into the game - as did the Queensland team overall - in the second half, both still made a few crucial errors with the boot the put their team under pressure.
Failing to find touch from inside their 22, shanks off the boot - and in Lucas's case, a rush of blood trying to step around an oncoming Brumby before banging the ball over the sideline, resulted in poor field position for the under-pressure Reds.
Hegarty was on song with his place kicking and the amount of work both men have put in with Dave Alred would suggest it was an anomaly rather than an unbreakable habit.
