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15/03/2008 14:51
Brisbane - The under fire Reds bounded out of the Super 14 rugby doldrums with a 40-8 demolition of fading champions, the Bulls of South Africa here on Saturday.
The Reds, losers of their last three games, cashed in with five tries for their first bonus-point victory in the southern hemisphere competition in four years.
Queensland had been living with the stigma of Australian rugby's worst-performing province and coach Phil Mooney was forced to make six changes to the side that capitulated 34-16 to the Stormers at home last week.
Number eight John Roe, who lost the team captaincy to Sam Cordingley, barged over for his fifth try of the season after a storming run from Wallabies' fullback Chris Latham in the final minutes to crown a mixed week.
Latham and centre Morgan Turinui, both off form in the past three weeks, sparked the Reds in the first half and were crucial when the Pretoria-based reigning champions promised a fightback midway through the second half.
"I'm so proud of the boys," new skipper Cordingley said. "They've copped a lot in the last few weeks. I just asked them to trust each other. That's probably one of our best performances in a long time."
Winger Clinton Schifcofske finished with a career-best haul of 20 points, including a 52nd-minute try when Springbok winger Bryan Habana fumbled a kick.
The Bulls scored only one try - by Fourie du Preez - with fly-half Derick Hougaard landing a penalty goal.
It was a dreadful start to their Australasian tour for the Bulls, who slumped to a losing 2-3 record this season and were off to face the Chiefs in Rotorua next Saturday.
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