Clinical Reds outclass Rebels at Suncorp Stadium

The Queensland Reds side have secured a comprehensive 55-5 win over the Melbourne Rebels in Round 5 of Buildcorp Super W as Queensland Rugby Union celebrated its annual Women in Rugby Round.

The Reds ran in nine tries to one in what was a historic day for women’s Rugby in Queensland, with the 238 women who have represented Queensland since the first capped match in 1996 presented with their state cap.

Darling Downs product Briana Dascombe made her Queensland debut in the 50-point victory, with Ivania Wong scoring a hat-trick at Suncorp Stadium.

The visitors opened the scoring in the 10th minute through Willow Rowland, quickly making the most of their one-woman advantage after Patu was shown a yellow card minutes before.

It was all Queensland from there, Renae Nona responding for the Reds after piercing the line with a show and go to score under the posts. Cecilia Smith made no mistake with the conversion to put the Reds into a 7-5 lead in the 21st minute.

Patu stretched her side’s lead to 12-5 in the 28th minute, carrying three defenders over the line to score her third try of the season.

Wong had Queensland’s third in the 35th minute, the winger steaming onto a Nona short ball after the Reds flyhalf picked up the crumbs off a loose Rebels pass. Smith slotted her second conversion of the afternoon to put the score out to 19-5.

Reds lock Aleena Greenhalgh (high tackle) and Rebels centre Hope Schuster (batting down the ball) were yellow carded on the stroke of half-time, reducing both sides to 14-players for the opening minutes of the second forty.

Queensland made the most of the extra space, Annabelle Codey dashing through a gap before finding skipper Shannon Parry, who linked with Ellie Draper. Draper streaked away to score and put Queensland into a 26-5 lead.

A stunning Mel Wilks solo run gifted Wong a second try, Wilks slicing through the defence at the halfway line before linking with her winger to score Queensland’s fifth try, before Patu again found the line to make the score 38-5 with 20-minutes to play.

Debutant Dascombe sparked Queensland’s next try with a strong carry, eventually combining with Greenhalgh who outpaced the chasing defence to score.

Tries to Codey and Wong, her third of the night, put the icing on the cake for the Reds, sealing a 55-5 win.

Queensland are on the road next weekend for the final regular season round of Super W when they’ll take on the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday 9 April.

Queensland Reds

Tries: Wong 3, Patu 2, Nona, Draper, Greenhalgh, Codey
Conversions: Smith 5

Melbourne Rebels

Tries: Rowland