Western Force produced their best display of the Super Rugby Pacific season, stunning the highly fancied Queensland Reds with a 40-31 win at HBF Park on Saturday.
The Force served up their most complete performance of the year, bouncing back from their 22-14 loss Moana Pasifika to open their account.
And they did it in style.
They played their best 40 minutes of the season in the first period, taking a 28-5 lead at the break.
They overshadowed the highly-fancied Reds with an intensive performance that set the platform for victory.
The Force played with a new energy and hit the Reds with four first-half tries from Bayley Kuenzle, Thomas Franklin, Chase Tiatia and Nic White that stunned the visitors.
Kuenzle scored a second and Carlo Tizzano crossed after the break.
Donaldson converted five.
The Force held the Reds, who went into Round 5 in second spot, to just one five-pointer from Tate McDermott in the first 40 minutes.
The Reds ran in four more of their own after the break.
The Reds battered the Force defensive line early using players like second-rower Seru Uru and prop Peni Ravai to straighten the line as the home side drifted.
The Force defensive line speed gave the Reds little time or space and they stayed patient, scrapping their way into the game, as halves White and Donaldson gradually took control.
The Force had something to prove at the breakdown and were quicker to arrive with Tizzano a real menace.
The Force went ahead after a massive defensive effort and from a turnover in their first foray into the Reds 22 metres.
They swung the ball wide, Harry Potter made a break before Donaldson offloaded to man-of-the-match Kuenzle to race home. Donaldson converted.
The Reds looked dangerous on the counter-attack but it was the home side who broke out to score their second.
A loose ball was booted downfield, chasing Force players caused panic and at the counter ruck Franklin dotted down. Donaldson added the extras.
They then left the Reds line ragged and flat-footed when a long Donaldson pass found an unmarked Tiatia out wide to stroll over. Donaldson converted.
The Reds finally got on the scoreboard five minutes from the break when scrum-half McDermott scrambled over but White showed his own No.9 skills, darting over at the base of a ruck.
Donaldson converted.
The Reds got back on the scoring trail when McDermott grabbed a second two minutes into the second period, Lynagh converted.
But incredibly Harry Wilson fumbled the re-start - his second of the game - and the ball landed in the hands of the chasing Kuenzle who reached out to score.
The tries kept coming when Reds hooker Matt Faessler stepped around a ruck. Lynagh converted.
Then Tizzano running, like a back, went through a big hole with an even bigger fend, Donaldson converted, before Fraser McReight won a scramble for the ball to score at the other end.
A well-worked move saw Reds full-back Jock Campbell cross, Lynagh converted, with five minutes remaining for the final score.
Western Force 40
Tries: Kuenzle (15', 42'), Franklin (24), Tiatia (31), White (40), Tizzano (54').
Conversions: Donaldson (5/6)
Penalties: Nil
Queensland Reds 31
Tries: McDermott (35', 42'), Faessler (50'), McReight (64), Campbell (75')
Conversions: Lynagh (3/5)
Penalties: Nil
Crowd: 5,462 @ HBF Park
