Queensland have prevailed in the Brisbane heat to notch a valuable 36–14 bonus point Super Rugby win over conference rivals the Brumbies.
Fit again No.10 Bryce Hegarty’s long-range kicking gave the Reds a whole new look as they continually turned the Brumbies around.
Queensland dominated the first half but only led 10-0, with a try to Brumbies winger Henry Speight early in the second stanza making it a three-point game.
Back-to-back long range Reds tries broke the game open as they notched back-to-back wins to breathe life into their season.
First Chris Feauai-Sautia finished a Samu Kerevi-Sefa Naivalu left-side counter attack before Tate McDermott sprinted 45m from a Pete Samu knock-on.
A shocking Moses Sorovi pass handed debutant Jahrome Brown the easiest of tries and some unwanted Reds nerves at 24-14 with nine minutes to play.
But they ended any hope of a comeback when Hegarty finished another long-range effort started by replacement hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa’s long pass.
Provider then turned receiver when the hooker burrowed over on the buzzer to earn a bonus point.
Queensland’s win took them to 2-3 for the season and ahead of the Sunwolves into fourth in their conference, while the Brumbies (2-4) remain in third after missing a chance to go to the top.
The Brumbies’ 27-sequence opening phase – a Super Rugby record – didn’t net the visitors a point.
And when an ensuing rolling maul was halted the Reds turned the tables to control the rest of the first half.
Hegarty was the heavy lifter in 33-degree heat, punching long and accurate kicks before the hosts gave the Brumbies some of their own medicine.
Two rolling mauls – which have netted the Brumbies nine tries already this year – were effective for the Reds and led to Scott Higginbotham’s opener.
Further souring the loss was an arm injury to Rory Arnold that forced him off after 12 minutes.
Brumbies hooker Folau Faingaa was also nullified as he aimed to become just the second man to score in six consecutive Super Rugby games.