Sam BruceMar 16, 2026, 10:02 AM

CloseSam was brought up on long drives and the dusty fields of north-west New South Wales, where he developed his love of rugby from an early age. He joined ESPN after a five-year stint heading up Fox Sports Australia’s digital rugby coverage.

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Round 5 of Super Rugby Pacific delivered two thrillers, while the Drua defied the bookmakers’ odds to dominate the Brumbies in an historic first clash in Ba.

Read on as we review some of the big talking points from the weekend’s action.

GORDON LEADS THE WAY IN RACE FOR WALLABIES 10

The Reds and Waratahs turned on an old-fashioned Australian derby for 60 minutes on Saturday night, before the game sprung to life in an enthralling – and controversial – final quarter.

It was the Reds who eventually ran out winners, with late tries to Isaac Henry and Carter Gordon sealing a 26-17 victory.

Both five-pointers brought the parochial local crowd to its feet, but it was Gordon’s effort that will have had Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt smiling at Suncorp Stadium, while Les Kiss, the man who will replace Schmidt, surely woke up Sunday gazing ahead to later in the year.

Gordon leapt over a teammate, cut back to the inside and then set course for the tryline, beating Waratahs winger Harry Potter for pace to seal Queensland’s win for the second straight week.

Carter Gordon scored the match-winner for the Reds for the second straight week Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

But this was also his best game generally since he switched back from rugby league late last year, the playmaker finally squaring up his shoulders to take the line on in attack, while also defending with his usual physicality.

“He can take criticism on the field really well,” skipper Fraser McReight said of Gordon. “Boys can get into him — he’s our 10 and we need him talking — and he steps up.

“There’s no better image in any forward’s mind (than) when you see your 10 wanting the ball and taking the space and he’s done it in back-to-back weeks.”

With Tom Lynagh nowhere to be seen so far this season, Ben Donaldson’s Western Force struggling and Tane Edmed’s first start of the season a near-disaster in Fiji, it’s Gordon first and daylight second when it comes to the Wallabies No. 10 jersey.

But tempered with the unavoidable goal-kicking question. Gordon is yet to take a shot at goal this season, with Louis Werchon and Jock Campbell handling that responsibility. It is the nagging concern that simply won’t go away.

WARATAHS RIGHT TO BEMOAN OVERTURNED REILLY TRY

The aforementioned controversy came in the 74th minute when Waratahs centre Triston Reilly leapt into the right-hand corner and grounded the ball in a finish as good as any seen this season.

Referee Ben O’Keeffe awarded the try only for TMO Richard Kelly to then intervene and direct him to vision on the big screen, which showed the ball coming down touch-in-goal; or at least that’s how it appeared with the replays that were shown.

Triston Reilly absolutely robbed #REDvWAR pic.twitter.com/SoXvQ5jp8r

— therugbyfanshaz (@therugbyfanshaz) March 14, 2026

However, eagle-eyed fans at home were able to pause the vision at the exact right frame, which showed Reilly grounding the ball first legally, a split-second before the rest of the Gilbert then came down on the whitewash.

O’Keeffe unfortunately did not push back against Kelly’s claim, nor ask to see if the frame could be paused, leaving Waratahs coach Dan McKellar fuming in the Suncorp Stadium coaches’ box.

“If you speak to how they’re refereeing and using the TMO, if the referee awards the try, unless it’s clear and obvious, it stays a try. Is that not right?,” McKellar said later.

“I’m incredibly proud of the effort we put in. Big games like this, it’s little moments and that’s a little moment you hope goes your way.

“But it didn’t. And there were others. If you want to be a top-four side you have to win those moments and we didn’t.”

This was a vastly-improved performance from the Waratahs regardless, and the exact type of response McKellar would have demanded following their capitulation to the Hurricanes a week earlier.

The inclusion of Jack Debreczeni resulted in a better organised and managed attack, while back-rower Clem Halahalo impressed with an equal-high 12 carries for the game.

It was an effort to build at home next week to the Blues, which now looks must-win for the Waratahs in terms of their top-four aspirations.

Carter Gordon scored the match-winner for the Reds for the second straight week Bradley Kanaris/Getty ImagesCONTRASTING TMO CALLS ONLY GIVES NORTHERN HEMISPHERE MORE CAUSE FOR CRITICISM

Chay Fihaki should count himself incredibly lucky his yellow card against the Highlanders was not upgraded to a red. And as of Monday morning, the Crusaders winger hasn’t been cited for a terrible tackle on Highlanders No. 10 Cam Millar either.

What there is little doubt over is that Fihaki got his tackle completely wrong, as he charged in at an angle and collected Millar flush on the chin with his shoulder. The result was a yellow card and a TMO review, from which James Leckie then determined the “late drop” in Millar’s bodyheight was enough mitigation for the tackle to remain a yellow.

But such was the recklessness of Fihaki’s hit – he charged in at an angle and only slightly dropped his bodyheight – that there could have been few complaints had it been upgraded to a red. Even the usually lenient Sky Sport commentators agreed Fihaki was fortunate not to be gone for the game.

Cam Millar did not return after he was hit high by Crusaders winger Chay Fihaki during the Highlanders’ loss in Christchurch Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

It was, in fact, the exact kind of tackle that will reignite claims from northern hemisphere rugby fans that Super Rugby does not take player safety seriously. As it was, Millar was ruled out for the rest of the game following a head injury assessment.

Thankfully we saw sanity prevail on Sunday as Augustine Pulu had his yellow card upgraded to a red for a horrendous swinging arm tackle on Sam Nock. The Blues halfback was also ruled out following an HIA, but on this occasion TMO Glenn Newman wasted little time in deeming Pulu’s tackle worthy of an early shower.

Critics of the 20-minute red card have slowly faded from view, but instances like Fihaki’s tackle will ensure they never dissipate completely. Super Rugby Pacific officials must get these ones right.

LOMAX WON’T HAVE A SERENE PASSAGE TO WALLABIES GOLD

Zac Lomax’s code switch was the big talking point in Australian sport last week, at least across New South Wales and Queensland. While he was not paraded in a Wallabies polo shirt for his unveiling at Rugby Australia, ultimately discussion turned to his chances of making next year’s Rugby World Cup.

If fit, outside backs Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright, Dylan Pietsch, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii [who will also offer midfield cover] and returning code-hopper Mark Nawaqanitawase are all likely inclusions, perhaps leaving space for maybe one or even two further outside backs.

The next in line would likely come from Corey Toole, Harry Potter, Andrew Kellaway, Darby Lancaster and Filipo Daugunu, which proves Lomax will not be a walk-up Wallabies starter.

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Zac Lomax adds depth with injuries inevitable

The ESPN Scrum Reset team reacts to Zac Lomax’s code switch, discussing where he might land in an outside back pecking order for next year’s World Cup.

He will have to earn his place in Australia’s 33-man World Cup squad.

And almost on cue, Lancaster and Daugunu produced their best performances of the year in Round 5. Lancaster first scored a double in the Force’s loss to the Hurricanes, the finish straight out of his sevens playbook, before Daugunu then demonstrated why he is so valuable to the Reds with big plays on both sides of the ball.

Where Daugunu is as effective as any outside back in Super Rugby is over the ball, the Fijian’s body position at the breakdown near-perfect, making a huge turnover threat. His counterattack then created the break which brought about Isaac Henry’s try.

Lomax is undoubtedly a good signing for the Force, but his ability to get up to speed with the vast differences in rugby, particularly at the breakdown, will be the key factor as to whether he makes Kiss’ squad in October next year.