Reds score six tries to beat Rebels in basement battle

The Queensland Reds scored six tries in a lively 36-20 win to likely condemn the Rebels to last spot in the Australian Super 15 conference in Melbourne on Friday.

The Reds, playing without injured Wallaby halves Quade Cooper and Will Genia, mastered the windy conditions to lead 22-3 at halftime and were never in any danger of losing to their Australian rivals. Winger Lachie Turner and scrum-half Nick Frisby each scored a brace of tries with others going to fullback Mike Harris and winger Rod Davies. Harris managed three conversions from his seven shots at goal in the tricky buffeting conditions. The Rebels, who head to South Africa to play their remaining two games, scored tries through Luke Burgess, Bryce Hegarty and Mitch Inman with Jason Woodward kicking a conversion and a penalty. The win lifted the 2011 Super Rugby champions to seven points ahead of the Rebels in the Australia conference but well out of contention to take part in next month`s top-six play-offs. Queensland`s win was soured by a serious leg injury to winger Dom Shipperley with initial reports he may have suffered a compound leg fracture. Shipperley only last week announced he was leaving the Reds to join the Rebels next year. The Reds gained a measure of revenge for their controversial 30-27 loss to the Rebels in Brisbane last month when Jason Woodward kicked Melbourne home on a 79th-minute penalty off a red card incident. Queensland will finish their season against the Western Force in Perth next week and the NSW Waratahs at home in the final round.