Switching the competition format has seen some excellent and exciting play on day one of the two-day Brisbane Global Rugby Tens. Some unnerving results have occurred, such as the Auckland Blues smashing the local Queensland Reds in the afternoon match 29-7. Later the Blues had a massive win against Panasonic Wild Knights in the cooler twilight match 47-10 after the Wild Knights had a last minute 19-17 win over the Melbourne Rebels earlier in the day.

Not a good outing for the Reds going on to lose to the Melbourne Rebels 17-21 controversially after a slight push in the back of pocket rocket, Izaia Perese, resulting in a try after earlier benefiting from a penalty try from a similar off the ball shove by Reds Tuniela Tupou aka, the Togan Thor. Putting them at the bottom of their Pool. Hopefully, they improve in their last Pool match against Panasonic Wild Knights at 2:08pm. A standout performance from Easts Izaia Perese achieved some praise from Reds Tens coach, Paul Carozza.

“Izzy Perese in that last game was very determined,” he said.

“He made several really strong runs and showed he didn’t like to be tackled, really put his hand up a bit.”

Plenty of Brisbane rugby favourite sons turning out for the tournament with Drew Mitchell kitting up for the Waratahs, former Eastern Districts old man Andrew Walker at 44 had a run with the Brumbies, Dominic Shipperly (photo above) with the Melbourne Rebels and former Wallaby captain Ben Mowen with the French team Pau. Queensland Uni young gun Jack Cornelsen with the Japanese side Panasonic alongside former Reds Berrick Barnes, Daniel Heenan & Digby Ioane. One of my favourites, Chris Kurandrani (photo below) displayed some great finesse for Fiji is, unfortunately, off to Honda Heat in Japan next month.

Day Two promises to be another hot day on and off the field with 30-degrees+ expected. Thankfully, the second half of the action is in the twilight after last year’s super heatwave in Bris-Vegas requiring the “rejig” of the starting time. It is sure to be worth your while to join the rugby party the River City is hosting for the second time.