Reds vs Brumbies takes: Thomas pushes for Wallabies, McReight the MVP

The Queensland Reds have completed a Super Rugby Pacific regular season sweep over Australian rivals the ACT Brumbies, holding on for a crucial 30-21 win at Suncorp Stadium. Fraser McReight and Kalani Thomas were among the standouts for the Queenslanders.

Lachlan Shaw opened the scoring for the Brumbies in just the third minute, but the Reds hit back almost immediately through Lukhan Salakaia-Loto. The Reds ended up taking a 10-point lead into the break after Thomas set up Josh Flook with a clever grubber kick.

Rob Valetini and David Feliuai helped the Brumbies take the lead during the second term, before Seru Uru swung the score back in the Reds’ favour. Playmakers Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and Ben Vaolavola were accurate off the kicking tee as the Queenslanders hung on for the win.

Kalani Thomas won’t be a one-Test Wallaby for much longer

Kalani Thomas made 15 appearances during the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, which led to other honours against the British & Irish Lions in July. The scrum-half suited up for the Reds against the tourists and was chosen in both the AUNZ XV and First Nations & Pasifika XV squads.

But that wasn’t all.

2025 was a breakout year for Thomas, who spoke last July about the “ultimate goal” of one day representing the Wallabies. The 24-year-old realised that dream against France during the Autumn Nations Series, coming on as a replacement at Stade de France.

Thomas is currently the most recent debutant in Wallabies history, with the team fielding multiple options at scrum-half during last year’s international campaign. Brumbies captain Ryan Lonergan debuted for the Wallabies against the All Blacks at Eden Park.

Jake Gordon has been considered the first-choice halfback for the Wallabies over the last two years, while the currently injured Tate McDermott and now retired Nic White have also featured for the national team under Joe Schmidt.

But ahead of Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, it seems quite unlikely that Thomas won’t play in more Tests for the Wallabies. Thomas was superb against the Brumbies, delivering a next-level kicking game and recording a couple of try assists.

Thomas dribbled a box kick into touch about one metre out from the Brumbies try line during the first half, which was the highlight from a fairly solid kicking performance. The No. 9 sent a grubber kick through for Josh Flook to score – similar to what the pair produced against the Lions.

When Thomas is in this type of form, there isn’t a better kicking scrum-half in Australian rugby. Lonergan and Gordon are shaping up as likely candidates for higher honours, and don’t forget about McDermott, but Thomas is an exciting talent selectors can’t ignore.

Australia’s MVP in Super Rugby is…

Fraser McReight.

The Reds captain is the most valuable player to an Australian side in Super Rugby Pacific. This has been the case for quite some time, yet it remains important and almost essential to mention this after Saturday’s Aussie derby.

McReight set the tone early by getting over the ball to win a pilfer penalty in the minute. The flanker won another penalty at the breakdown in the 25^th minute, as the Reds took their game to another level just before half-time.

The 27-year-old had a game-high 10 carries and was top three overall for total tackles with 10 at the break. No player had won more turnovers than McReight, who had finished the opening 40 with 100 per cent tackle accuracy.

McReight won another turnover during the second half. It was yet another standout performance from the star backrower, who makes the Reds a far better side each and every time he takes the field in Super Rugby Pacific.

Former Wallaby Jeremy Paul once suggested on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby that McReight was “the best seven in the world” on current form in October 2024. It was a fair point to make then and it would still be an appropriate take today.

The big selection headache for the Wallabies

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has some tough decisions to make when picking the starting loose forwards trio to take on Ireland in Sydney this July, which will be the Wallabies’ first Test of the inaugural Nations Championship.

The Wallabies had three different blindside flanker suit up in each of the First XV’s during the Lions Series, with Rob Valetini missing the first and third Tests. Nick Champion de Crespigny debuted and ended up captaining the team later that season against Japan.

Tom Hooper was named the Player of the Match after the famous win over the British & Irish Lions in Sydney. The backrower is now plying his trade overseas in England with the Exeter Chiefs, along with Wallabies teammate Len Ikitau.

Fraser McReight and Carlo Tizzano are two reliable options at openside flanker, while Wallabies captain Harry Wilson is the incumbent at No. 8. But how the backrow shapes up during the first few Tests of the 2026 season remains to be seen.

Valetini, who is a two-time John Eales Meadllist, made 10 appearances for the Wallabies during the 2025 campaign. The 27-year-old started at blindside flanker and at No. 8, and made several appearances off the pine as well.

But a lot of fan would have Valetini as the first name on the team sheet. ‘Bobby V’ made a game-high carries against the Queenslanders and burrowed over for an important try during early in the second half.

Valetini has been superb for the Brumbies this season and it’ll be very interesting to see if there’s a spot in the Wallabies run-on side for him. This performance would suggest there should be, but the importance of a world-class bench shouldn’t be undersold either.

HMP continues to step up

Tom Lynagh started all three matches for the Wallabies against the British & Irish Lions during the 2025 series, following an impressive campaign with the Reds. Lynagh is part of the Reds squad for this season, as is Wallabies fly-half Carter Gordon.

Gordon secured a high-profile return to rugby from the NRL ahead of the Spring Tour, signing with Rugby Australia and the Queensland Rugby Union. Flying Fijian Ben Vaolavola also put pen to paper with the Reds for the 2026 season.

Those three are established world-renowned options who could suit up in the No. 10 jersey for the Reds, but let’s not overlook how good Harry McLaughlin-Phillips has been. Australia A fly-half ‘HMP’ has featured in every Reds match this season.

McLaughlin-Phillips was selected in the First XV to face the Brumbies, and the former Australia U20 pivot continues to look increasingly more comfortable in that starting role. This was actually the playmaker’s first start for the Reds at Suncorp Stadium.

The 22-year-old kicked 12 points off the goal-kicking tee and helped lead the team around the park with composure. With the playoffs just around the corner, McLaughlin-Phillips is a big reason why the Reds sit as high as they do on the ladder.