The ACT Brumbies have produced a powerful performance for a 39-26 win over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane.
Hooker Billy Pollard crossed for a double as the Brumbies came back from a 14-0 deficit for the victory.
Catch every game of SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific live and on-demand via Stan Sport.
The Reds started fast but the likes of Allan Alaalatoa and Rob Valetini sparked the comeback for the visitors.
Alaalatoa's fourth try of the year ensured a 21-14 lead at the break, which they didn't give up as they went try-for-try.
It lifts the Brumbies into the top four and ahead of the Reds into third.
The spirited victory came after Reds mentor and want-to-be Wallabies coach Les Kiss delivered a spectacular halftime spray to his team for giving up their 14-point lead. "Didn't he go off at halftime, Les Kiss?" said Wallabies great Tim Horan in Stan commentary. The Reds had fired out of the blocks to charge to a 14-0 lead.
Wallabies centre Hunter Paisami opened the scoring with an early chip-and-chase effort, before hooker Richie Asiata barged over to double the lead.
Dual John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini almost single-handedly dragged the Brumbies back into the contest with a solo try in the 22nd minute.
The classy back-rower seemed to inspire the Brumbies, who dominated the rest of the half as his side wrestled the lead with further bulldozing tries to Tuaina Taii Tualima and Allan Alaalatoa.
A try-scoring double in the opening 15 minutes of the second half to Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard sealed the Reds' fate.
Alaalatoa praised his teammates for "staying in the grind".
"We knew it was going to be a tough game," he said.
"The conditions, a bit of humidity, wet, yeah, we just wanted to get in the washing machine and stay in it and just work hard for each other, which I thought we did.
"We spoke about it during the week. We knew what we were coming up against this week.
"So mentally we were in the right spot tonight and it's just about gaining that consistency for the rest of the season."
Pollard hopes the Brumbies' win and performance has set the standard.
"Defensively, we were really strong," Pollard said.
"Territory was a big one, you know. I've spoken a lot about conditions, every time we felt like we got down that end, attacking wise, we came away with points.
"It felt like we were just building some pressure on the Reds and that's what we want to do.
"We want to sustain that and not get bored of doing it, so I think we got a bit of wind in our sails off the back of that."
Tries: Paisami, Asiata 2, Pakeho
Cons: Lynagh 2/3, Gibbs 1/1
Tries: Valetini, Alaalatoa, Tualima, Pollard 2, Toole
Cons: Lolesio 3/5, R. Lonergan 0/1
Pens: R. Lonergan 1/1
REDS (1-15): Sef Fa'agase, Matt Faessler, Zane Nonggorr, Josh Canham, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Seru Uru, Fraser McReight, Joe Brial, Tate McDermott (c), Tom Lynagh, Tim Ryan, Hunter Paisami, Dre Pakeho, Lachie Anderson, Heremaia Murray
Replacements: Richie Asaita, Alex Hodgman, Jeffery Toomana-Allen, Angus Blyth, John Bryant, Kalani Thomas, Jude Gibbs, Jock Campbell
BRUMBIES (1-15): James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Nick Frost, Tom Hooper, Rob Valetini, Rory Scott, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Ryan Lonergan, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole, David Feliuai, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright
Replacements: Lachlan Lonergan, Blake Schoupp, Feao Fotuaika, Lachlan Shaw, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Declan Meredith, Ollie Sapsford
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Matt Kellahan, Damon Murphy
TMO: Graham Cooper
