Quade Cooper made a 40-minute comeback as the Queensland Reds continued their Super Rugby momentum with a 34-20 victory over the last-placed Lions in Brisbane.
Given a pre-determined early rest at halftime, Cooper was an impressive performer as his reconstructed right knee survived its first outing in seven months.
The trademark jinking runs and big steps were as effective as ever and his ball-playing was sharp and confident to the delight of a 31,000-strong Brisbane crowd.
The Reds remain second in the Australian conference behind the Brumbies.
