Reds

Vunivalu hobbled off the field in Queensland’s 31-24 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman loss to the Blues last weekend and Wallabies coach Dave Rennie says the injury is significant enough to rule him out of the three-Test series against the French next month.

“Obviously a reasonably serious hamstring injury,” Rennie told AAP.

“That’s going to see him miss the French series and we’ll know a little bit more detail beyond that but he certainly won’t be available for France.”

The two teams were scheduled to meet in Queenstown on Sunday.

But a Covid-19 outbreak in Victoria this week, and a lockdown announced on Thursday, meant that was no longer possible after the New Zealand government extended their pause on quarantine-free travel from the state.

The Rebels had flown to Sydney on Wednesday, in the hope of then transferring to Queenstown.

But New Zealand's Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said the team were covered by the travel pause because they were in Melbourne when it came into affect on Tuesday night.

The Highlanders trounced Australian champions the Queensland Reds 40-19 before the Hurricanes beat the NSW Waratahs 64-48 in a Sydney try-fest.

Predictions that the six-week contest would be one-sided in favour of the New Zealand sides looked on the money when Highlanders centre Scott Gregory cantered over the line for the first try of the competition after just 35 seconds in Dunedin.

The champion NRL winger had arrived at Ballymore fresh off a premiership with the Melbourne Storm as Rugby Australia's big-ticket item.

But on Tuesday the winger copped a club-imposed A$10,000 (NZ$10,74) fine alongside suspension from Friday's season opener at Suncorp Stadium against the NSW Waratahs.

The matter is before the court and will be reviewed by RA and Queensland Rugby Union once it is resolved.

It is understood the security guard was not injured during the incident, which was considered minor and occurred earlier this month.

The draw has been finalised for the five-week competition.

The Highlanders and Crusaders will be at home in round one with the Hurricanes, Blues and Chiefs heading to Australia for the start of a tournament that pits New Zealand's five Super Rugby against the Reds, NSW Waratahs, Brumbies, Melbourne Rebels and Western Force.

The final between the two top-placed teams on the combined competition table is scheduled for Saturday, 19 June.

Star Melbourne winger Suliasi Vunivalu says he will seek reassurance about his contract ahead of his code switch to financially-stricken rugby union and try to remain with the Storm if it falls through.

Vunivalu is set to depart Melbourne at the end of the NRL season after signing a deal with Queensland Reds and Rugby Australia late last year he described as “too good to refuse”.

But since then Rugby Australia has fallen into a financial black hole, with a number of players looking to shift overseas as they seek some job security.

The hosts opened the scoring in the 11th minute when prop Joe Moody scored under the posts off a short drive, with first five Richie Mo'unga converting.

The Reds struck straight back when winger Chris Feauai-Sautia scored following a perfectly played set piece move off an attacking lineout just five out from the Crusaders' line.

Richie Mo'unga then kicked a penalty five minutes later to give the Crusaders a five point buffer at the 20 minute mark.

The Reds then removed the Crusaders lead completely when No. 8 Harry Wilson scored a try similar to that of Joe Moody.

24-year-old Filipo Daugunu has signed a four-year deal with the Queensland team which could see him press his case for selection in the Wallabies.

Daugunu is finally eligible for the national side after moving to Australia three years ago and signing on with the Reds gives the former football goal-keeper a straightforward run to the Wallabies.

“I’m very happy to stay at Queensland,” Daugunu has said of his new contract.

The fitting farewell for loose forward Scott Higginbotham and captain Samu Kerevi looked unlikely with the Reds trailing 21-5 after 23 minutes following a sluggish start.

But the hosts clawed back the deficit and secured just their sixth win of the season.

Higginbotham's first-half try, following good work by Kerevi and winger Jock Campbell, made him the first forward to notch 40 Super Rugby tries.

His effort came either side of tries to Blues' pair Tanielu Tele'a and Augustine Pulu after captain Blake Gibson opened the scoring after just three minutes.

Pita Sowakula, Atu Moli and Etene Nanai-Seturo scored first half tries for the Chiefs, who spent virtually all of the second spell defending as the Reds controlled the ball but were unable to breach the home side's impressive defensive line.

Taniela Tupou scored the only points of the second half with a try from a sustained buildup as the visitors hammered at the Chiefs' line.

The visitors forced the Chiefs to make 240 tackles in the game.

The Reds made less than 90.