Rugby: Rampant Reds put Force to sword

BRISBANE - The red-hot Queenslanders celebrated their long-awaited Super rugby resurgence last night, posting their biggest winning margin against the hapless Force.

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 a week previously, 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.

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 doubles to centres Anthony Faingaa and Digby Ioane, three of which were 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.

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.

- AAP