Highlanders’ miserable form in Australia continues with Reds defeat

in Super Rugby Pacific

Friday, 27 February 2026

At Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane: Queensland Reds 31 (Fraser McReight try 17min, Matt Faessler try 27min, Tim Ryan try 34min, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto try 56min, Vaiuta Latu try 61min; Louis Werchon 2 con, Jock Campbell con) Highlanders 14 (Adam Lennox try 30min, Lucas Casey try 51min; Cameron Millar 2 con). HT: 19-7

The Highlanders’ miserable recent record in Australia has continued with a 17-point loss to the Reds.

Before the game, the Highlanders had only won one of their past 13 Super Rugby in Australia and had lost six on the bounce, and they rarely looked like changing that record.

They looked lethargic in the warm and humid Brisbane evening on Friday, particularly in the first half, and a halftime deficit of 19-7 gave them too much to do in the second spell.

A trademark burst from Timoci Tavatavanawai at the start of the second half and a try to Lucas Casey briefly threatened a comeback but the Reds snuffed it out with two more tries of their own.

The Highlanders were always going to be against it.

A much-changed Reds team from their opening-round loss to the Waratahs had 14 Wallabies in their 23, including seven in the starting pack.

But Jamie Joseph’s side will still rue an opening 40 minutes that started brightly enough but featured too many errors.

Hooker Jack Taylor was the best for the Highlanders, while halfback Adam Lennox looked lively in his first start.

But they struggled to contain the Reds in midfield. Reds No 12 Hunter Paisami had a field day and Wallabies No 10 Carter Gordon was increasingly influential on his Queensland debut.

The Highlanders also missed 26 tackles compared to the Reds’ 17, and they also lost too many breakdown contests in promising positions — with the home side throwing plenty of numbers in the post-tackle area.

It gives Joseph plenty of work to do before they host the Western Force in Dunedin next week, and the season-ending losses of Fabian Holland and Dylan Pledger could really start to bite as the season unfolds.

The Highlanders scrum won the early exchanges, with All Black Ethan de Groot piling pressure on Reds and Wallabies tighthead prop Zane Nonggorr.

But they weren’t clinical with their opportunities as Will Stodart was held up over the line and Tavatavanawai dropped a tough pass from Sean Withy off a lineout play in the greasy conditions.

Those small errors were punished by the Reds, who scored first through No 7 Fraser McReight after Wallabies captain Harry Wilson kept the move alive with a clever pass through his legs.

After a period of scrappy play — and a reversal in the scrum battle — the Highlanders went further behind.

Reds hooker Matt Faessler waltzed over close to the line after a lineout drive and while the the Highlanders hit back with a try to Lennox, the Reds pressed home their superiority with a third first-half try to winger Tim Ryan.

The Highlanders also lost the kicking battle and a 19-7 deficit at halftime was a fair reflection of the contest, with the southerners also appearing to struggle in the conditions.