Super Rugby takes: Reds are Australia’s best team, Fraser McReight stars

The Queensland Reds have capped off an enthralling round of upsets by beating the previously undefeated Chiefs 25-19 at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Saturday

There’s no doubt that Queensland were the better team for 79 ½ minutes, but the visitors still had a chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat with the full-time whistle not far away.

But the Reds stood tall. They defended 23 phases of Chiefs attack deep inside their own 22 to win what will go down as an all-time classic Trans-Tasman clash in Super Rugby Pacific.

The gap between the Australian and New Zealand sides isn’t closing anymore. It’s closed.

Reds are the best Super Rugby side in Australia

There isn’t a better Super Rugby Pacific side in Australia than the Queensland Reds right now. The Reds are different gravy.

The Reds started their season with a dominant win over arch-rivals the Waratahs at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium before suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Hurricanes in golden point.

But that extra time defeat to the men from New Zealand’s capital, who have themselves emerged as arguably the form team of the competition, was still impressive.

The Les Kiss era hasn’t just been a step towards a brighter tomorrow for the Reds – it’s been an overwhelming success after the opening three rounds.

Queensland faced a mighty task in hosting the Chiefs on Saturday, but the Reds were up for the challenge as they shocked the rugby world with a hard-fought victory.

Liam Wright, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Tate McDermott and Tom Lynagh form a young core of this Reds side. All five could very well start for the Wallabies this year.

But it takes a squad to be the best. The forwards are dominant, physical and determined, and the depth in the backline is both young and exciting.

This team will cause some headaches for opposition players, coaches and fans this season. After all, they’ve shown so far that they’re the best in Australian Super Rugby.

Fraser McReight is Australia’s Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Week

Fraser McReight is the form Australian in Super Rugby Pacific. In a competition that boasts so much talent and flair, it’s a backrower who gets the nod as the best of the best in Round Three.

Reds flanker McReight, who was crowned the competition’s best after a sensational campaign in 2023, has continued to soar during a series of strong performances to start the season.

McReight, 25, is the form Australian in Super Rugby Pacific once again. There’s a reason the Stan Sport cameras followed the flanker as he made his way off the field at half-time.

Lining up opposite a Chiefs backrow which includes All Black Luke Jacobson, McReight was phenomenal at the breakdown early on and was unlucky not to get more reward.

But eventually, midway through the first term, it was the Wallabies and Reds backrower who sent the Brisbane crowd into a frenzy after linking up with childhood friend Harry Wilson.

McReight ran in for the Reds’ second try of the evening – a score which also gave the hosts the lead for the first time. The flanker’s swan dive certainly made the moment even greater, too.

Away from the scoreboard though, McReight was a menace at the breakdown. The Queenslander won a turnover at the breakdown just before half-time which laid the platform for another Tom Lynagh penalty goal just before the break.

At half-time, McReight was among the leaders for tackles completed with 12 and also ranked equal-second for turnovers.

McReight won another massive penalty with some well-worked impact at the breakdown about 13 minutes after the break.

All of these examples, and more, just go to show that Fraser McReight was undoubtedly the Australian of the week in Super Rugby Pacific.

Reds forwards dominated when it counted

When Fijian international Peni Ravai and former All Black Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen came on for the Reds off the pine, the Queensland scrum became seemingly unstoppable.

The Reds weren’t ahead by two much, but with the Reds parked inside their own half late in the second half, the Queenslanders won two scrum penalties to relieve pressure.

But generally speaking, the Reds’ forwards were more lethal around the park. Whether it was in attack, defence or at the breakdown, the hosts got the job done.

They were the ones who did most of the work during their 23 phases of defence to win the match at the death.