MATCH REPORT: The Reds kicked off their pre-season in style, with six tries in each half propelling them to an 82-21 victory over English Premiership side Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate in fresh 7-degree conditions.

Jock Campbell scored a second-half hat-trick and Filipo Daugunu scored a double in his first game for Queensland in eighteen months, and his first since returning from a broken leg suffered on Wallaby duty.

Flanker Fraser McReight also scored a double, while half-centurion Kalani Thomas scored with his first touch to elicit plenty of noise from the few hundred Queensland fans sprinkled into a big crowd.

Tom Lynagh kicked superbly out of hand and from the tee, nailing seven from seven with the majority out wide, while Harry McLaughlin-Phillips also kicked at 100%. Importantly, the Reds had no injuries to report.

“It was good fun out there, a great first hit out for the year and a lot to build on for next week in Belfast and then Moana Pasifika at Suncorp,” Jock Campbell said post-game.

“It’s beautiful playing in these conditions, run around a bit more and this stadium is arguably one of the best I have ever played in. Mum was in the stands and she was pretty loud, and it was great to hear our supporters when we scored, but also the Bristol fans who came out were really loud and great as well.”

Reds Head Coach Les Kiss was pleased with the result and the way his side gelled together in their first game of the year.

“We had about eight or nine new combinations in our team, so for those things to click well for us was nice,” Kiss said. “We had good accurate passing, good clean outs, good breakdowns; all the little things that you want to do well.”

Hooker Richie Asiata scored the first try of the season from a lineout drive, after a Daugunu 50:22, before McReight scored the section and Daugunu himself got the third out wide in the 16th minute.

The Bears hit back with their first from flyhalf Harry Bazalgette, but Tate McDermott restored the three-try buffer with a trademark quick tap and snipe.

McReight had his second following a Josh Flook line break on halfway, before Max Lahiff got the Bears second – albeit being credited late, with the crowd whipped into a frenzy when it was announced that Jake Woolmore had broken his 164-game try scoring drought. Alas, it was a case of mistaken identity.

There was still time for one more before the break, a lovely backline set play from a scrum saw Flook rewarded for his enterprising opening 40 minutes.

Thomas joined the fray, replacing McDermott at the break, and was instantly celebrating when he scored with his first touch after a gift pass from Campbell just a metre short of the line.

“Lachie Anderson was into me to gift him his first Reds try, but I had a better offer from Kalani on my inside; he was screaming so loudly and I had to look after him,” Campbell joked.

Daugunu scored his second before being replaced by Heremaia Murray, running over the top of a Bears defender as opposed to around him, before Campbell scored his first two tries. Murray was next to score, before big Bristol loose forward Will Ramply scored the Bears’ third, Campbell capping the night with his third try in the 77th minute.

Reflecting on achieving his 50th Reds cap, Thomas was clearly proud.

“It’s pretty surreal, I remember getting my first cap against the Waratahs, and to now get my 50th over here in the UK is special,” Thomas said.

“It’s always good to get a taste of new opposition and experience English footy, and it was amazing to see and hear so much Queensland support in the crowd. I love this club.”

The Reds will travel to Cheltenham tomorrow to continue pre-season preparations, before flying to Belfast on Monday ahead of Friday night’s second and final tour fixture against Ulster.

Scorers:

Reds:
Tries: Asiata, McReight 2, Daugunu 2, McDermott, Flook, Thomas, Campbell 3, Murray
Cons: Lynagh 7, McLaughlin-Phillips 4

Bristol Bears:
Tries: Bazalgette, Lahiff, Ramply
Con: Bazalgette 3

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Lachlan Anderson, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Alex Hodgman, 10 Filipo Daugunu, 9 Tom Lynagh, 8 Tate McDermott (captain), 7 Harry Wilson, 6 Fraser McReight, 5 Seru Uru, 4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 3 Josh Canham, 2 Zane Nonggorr, 1 Riche Asiata
Replacements: 16 Matt Faessler, 17 Sef Fa’agase, 18 Massimo De Lutiis, 19 Ryan Smith, 20 Joe Brian, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Heremaia Murray

Bristol: 15 Elias Caven, 14 Solomon Taufa, 13 Jacob Cusick, 12 Gethin O’Callagha, 11 Harry Rowson, 10 Harry Bazalgette, 9 Sam Wolstenhome, 8 Jake Heenan (captain), 7 Aaron Tull, 6 Paddy Pearce, 5 Joe Owen, 4 Ethan Surrey, 3 Max Lahiff, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Jake Woolmore
Replacements: 16 Tom Doughty, 17 Sam Grahamslaw, 18 Tom Sims, 19 Brian Ncube, 20 Will Ramply, 21 George Turner, 22 Matty Jones, 23 Dylan Power, 24 Josh Carrington