BRISBANE, Australia, 16 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – New South Wales Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has hailed the Queensland Reds as “as good as anyone” in Super Rugby after his side suffered their first defeat of the season in resounding fashion.
The Reds delivered a commanding performance in Brisbane on Saturday, outclassing their Australian rivals 35-15 to secure their third win of the campaign, lifting them to third place in the overall standings.
Meanwhile, the Waratahs’ first loss in four matches saw them slip to fifth, just one point behind the Reds. McKellar admitted his opponents are a formidable force when they dominate the play, particularly with Wallabies scrum-half Tate McDermott dictating the tempo.
“I think when they get their game going, they’re as good as anyone,” McKellar told reporters.
“They’re playing on the front foot, and when Tate gets out and their offload game clicks, their support play behind is excellent.
“We had some good moments, but patches don’t beat quality teams.”
McKellar was critical of his side’s concentration, noting that they began strongly, replicating the intensity of their victories over Otago Highlanders, Fijian Drua, and Western Force. However, a yellow card shown to full-back Andrew Kellaway triggered a slump in their performance.
Queensland capitalised on this lapse, executing a powerful 20-metre rolling maul that resulted in a try for hooker Richie Asiata, extending their lead to 21-8 at the break.
“We didn’t make the most of our early dominance, and then the yellow card came, and we sort of fell off the cliff,” McKellar admitted.
“That maul try was borderline embarrassing for all involved. It’s difficult to stop a rolling maul if you just stand there and watch.”
Reds coach Les Kiss provided a reassuring update on Wallabies flanker Fraser McReight, stating that the shoulder injury which forced him off the field did not appear to be serious.
Elsewhere in Super Rugby, the Waikato Chiefs now lead the standings after a dramatic 32-31 victory over Auckland Blues, handing the defending champions their fourth defeat in five matches.
The Canterbury Crusaders moved into second place following a dominant 55-33 win over Western Force in Christchurch, where their two wingers accounted for eight of their nine tries.
Macca Springer etched his name into the record books by scoring five tries, equalling the single-match competition record set by former Chiefs winger Sean Wainui in 2021. Meanwhile, All Blacks star Sevu Reece secured a hat-trick, taking his Super Rugby tally to 64 tries—just one behind the all-time record held by former Hurricanes scrum-half TJ Perenara.
Context: The Reds’ resurgence marks them as serious contenders this season, while the Waratahs will need to regain their composure to stay in the hunt for the top spots. Meanwhile, the Chiefs and Crusaders continue to assert their dominance, with individual brilliance from players like Springer and Reece adding to the spectacle of Super Rugby.