Rampant Reds thrash Western Force 50-10

A red-hot Queensland celebrated their long-awaited Super rugby resurgence with a
record 50-10 smashing of the Western Force on Sunday night.
A Suncorp Stadium crowd of 20,016 lapped up every moment of the one-sided affair,
especially the first half as Reds playmaker Quade Cooper had the ball on a string.
The Reds cut loose to run in seven tries to one against the hapless and
injury-riddled Force who have endured a dreadful start to 2010.
It was Queensland's biggest ever Super rugby win, eclipsing the 37-point margins
registered in beating the Blues (50-13) in 1996 and the Sharks (40-3) in 1997.
Showing how bad things have been in the past decade, their round five rise to sixth
on the Super 14 table with a 3-2 record is their best start to a season since 1999.
It was also the first time Queensland, who upset 2009 finalists the Chiefs last
week, have enjoyed back-to-back victories in four years.
"We just want to play for each other," said skipper and stand-out halfback Will Genia.
"We took a lot of confidence from last week and put it together."
The Reds have failed to cope with expectation on the rare occasion they've held the
favourites tag in the past five seasons.
But Queensland's heroes gained an even rarer standing ovation as they ran off at
halftime leading 36-3.
They crossed for five tries, including double to centres Anthony Faingaa and Digby
Ioane, three of which were superbly laid on by Cooper.
It was a half of rugby that hasn't been seen from Queensland since their side
included names such as Eales, Horan, Little, Wilson, Kefu, Latham and Tune.
The Force lineout disintegrated, losing seven throws in the first half but even when
rookie WA-product Ryan Tyrell was replaced by Pek Cowan at hooker they still
struggled.
The visitors did their best to turn things around as the rain came down in the
second half and both Peter Hynes and Faingaa were sin-binned.
But a sole try to winger Nick Cummins for a 36-10 deficit was as close as they got.
Rangy flanker Scott Higginbotham crossed for a second half double, including a 35m
intercept try to end a nightmare match for Force fullback Dane Haylett-Petty.
Kiwi recruit David Hill found it hard to make any sort of impact at five-eighth and
finished his forgettable debut early when yellow-carded in the 70th minute.