The Queensland Reds have opened their Super W season in spectacular style scoring 12 tries in an 80-5 thrashing of RugbyWA in Perth.
After an opening round bye, last season’s runners-up were desperate to stamp their authority in the hot and humid conditions.
The slow start in last week’s trial loss to Fijiana was cast aside as the Reds all-Wallaroos tight five blew the home side off the park in an opening half that saw big prop Liz Patu cross for three tries.
RugbyWA returned home with confidence after their spirited second half showing in last week’s loss to the Brumbies but were no match against the visitors who piled on 40 points in each half.
Reds captain Lori Cramer was delighted with the score but said improvement is needed to become an 80-minute team.
"We had a trial last week and today we definitely stuck to our game plan a little more," she said.
"We’ve got such a strong bench and so much depth in our squad. We had a lot of new faces today, so it’s real exciting for us going forward."
The Reds set the scene from the opening play of the day. After regaining possession from the kick-off, Wallaroo prop Patu powered across for her first in the opening minute.
The flow of points continued five minutes later after the Queensland pack secured possession against the feed from the opening scrum.
A penalty followed several clean phases and Shannon Mato proved too strong from close range for a 12-0 advantage.
WA fans were left lamenting the loss of 2018 fullback Courtney Hodder when the Reds speedster used early ball to turn Claudia Nielsen inside out in a sizzling dash to the left corner.
And it was 19-0 when Lori Cramer raised the flags from touch.
Bright spots were rare for the home side with halfback Aiysha Wigley showing glimpses behind a beaten pack, but it wasn’t to be WA’s day.
A high tackle on Hodder saw fullback Langley Sesega sin binned fifteen minutes before the break and the Reds forward machine rolled on, with hooker Averyl Mitchell crossing for the Reds’ fifth from a driving maul.
Patu crossed twice in the countdown to halftime, the first after Mitchell swooped on a loose WA pass to send the prop on a 20-metre dash to the line.
At 40-0, nothing changed upon the resumption. Flyhalf Zahara Temara and Kiwi international Lavinia Gould revelled in the extra space and both oozed class when they combined to put Maraea Tupai over for the first two tries of the half.
But the bustling centre did it all on her own on the hour, racing an intercept 70 metres to score a second half hattrick to put the Queenslanders clear 59-0.
The visitors added a further three tries to crack the 80 point barrier before replacement winger Emysen Robinson gave the locals something to cheer with a smart try after the final siren.
The confident Reds return to Suncorp next week to take on the Rebels while RugbyWA will be desperate to freshen up with next week’s bye before hosting the Rebels in a fortnight.
RESULT
Queensland Reds 80
Tries: Patu 3, Tupai 3, Hodder 2, Mato, Mitchell, Mataafa, Kaleta
Cons: Cramer 5, Temara 4, Morgan
RugbyWA 5
Tries: Robinson
