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Reds wing Filipo Daugunu scores five tries but left sweating over red card picked up in Rebels thumping
By Online Editors
Filipo Daugunu's five-try afternoon was spoiled by a red card for a dangerous tackle as the Queensland Reds feasted in a Super Rugby trial game mismatch against the Melbourne Rebels.
The Reds beat the understrength Rebels 57-5 in Gladstone on Friday, with winger Daugunu the benefactor in the first of two pre-season games before the Super Rugby season begins later this month.
The Rebels went to regional Queensland devoid of their Wallabies stars, with Reece Hodge, Matt Toomua, Marika Koroibete, Isi Naisarani, Dane Haylett-Petty and Angus Cottrell all missing.
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Five years after prematurely ending his contract at the Reds, the returning James O'Connor dominated at No.12 outside five-eighth Isaac Lucas, while scrumhalf Tate McDermott and fullback Bryce Hegarty combined to give the Reds multiple points of attack.
All four playmakers helped set up Daugunu tries, the Fijian flyer notching his hat-trick inside 36 minutes and adding his fifth inside 50 minutes with a long-range effort in the second half.
A dangerous tackle in the 75th minute earned him a red card though, with the winger now facing the prospect of missing the Reds' Super Rugby opener against the Brumbies on January 31.
"He can have all those tries back without the tackle, from my point of view," coach Brad Thorn said.
"But I guess that's your job on the end there, to put the ball down, so it's good he did that.
"There was a touch of class from James and was good to see young Isaac working in well there and Bryce having a little hit as well."
Junior Wallabies star Harry Wilson was also busy as he eyes minutes in the Reds' backrow this season, but the side should expect a sterner test in their final hit-out against the Waratahs in Dalby next Friday.
The Reds held back exciting centre Jordan Petaia, while Wallabies lock Izack Rodda (ankle) was other notable absentee as he pushes to be healthy for the first round after minor off-season surgery.
Melbourne will play the Brumbies in a Super Rugby trial in Albury next Thursday.
AAP
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Latest Comments
I think we need to get innovative with the new laws.
Now red cards are only 20 minutes, Razor should send Finau on a head hunting mission to hospitalise their 10 with a shoulder to the chops.
Give the conspiracy theorists a win.
Go to commentsEngland played well enough to win but couldnt score when they needed to and couldnt defend a couple of X-Factor moments from Telea which was ultimately the difference. They needed to hold the ball more and make the AB's make more tackles. Territorially they were good for the first 60. Defending their lead and playing pragmatic rugby in the last 20 was silly. The AB's always had the potential to come back. England still have a long way to go, definite progress would have been shown had they won but it seems they are still stuck where they were shortly after the six nations and their tour to NZ
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