Wallabies star Fraser McReight has delivered a telling endorsement of returning flyhalf Carter Gordon after the playmaker produced a match-winning Super Rugby Pacific moment for the second straight week.
The Queensland Reds left it late to blow past a dogged NSW Waratahs outfit on Saturday in Brisbane, with two Gordon tries among three long-range efforts in an 11-minute burst sealing a 26-17 victory.
Gordon was on the end of a neat Jock Campbell linebreak for his first try before doing it himself to ice the contest as the Reds moved to 3-1.
Hopping a defender as he collected a pass, Gordon brushed off two more then blazed around Wallabies back Harry Potter, who had fresher legs after coming off the bench at fullback, for a 55-metre try.
It followed Gordon's match-winning try in Canberra a week earlier and comes in his first Super Rugby Pacific season since the former Melbourne Rebels No.10's injury-marred NRL cameo with Gold Coast.
Test and club teammate McReight chuckled at the mention of Gordon's highlight reel plays, and said it was other areas of his game that had impressed in a pleasing sign for Australian rugby ahead of next year's home World Cup.
"As long as there's not any photos again of his receding hairline, he was a bit off that last week," the flanker, in his first season as Reds captain, laughed.
"Defending with him ... he throws his body around. As a loose forward I love that, respect that massively, he's searching for blokes (to tackle)."
The Wallabies have cycled through No.10 options in recent years, with Gordon's fellow Reds No.10 Tom Lynagh starting in all three British and Irish Lions Tests last year.
But he's been unsighted so far this season as he rehabilitates a leg injury, while Ben Donaldson's Western Force are 1-4.
Tane Edmed is yet to put his mark on the Brumbies (3-2) since an off-season move from the Waratahs (2-2), who promoted Jack Debreczeni ahead of Lawson Creighton to face the Reds.
McReight said Gordon had quickly won over his teammates and was owning the position.
"He can take criticism on the field really well," the No.7 said.
"Boys can get into him - he's our 10 and we need him talking - and he steps up.
"There's no better image in any forward's mind (than) when you see your 10 wanting the ball and taking the space and he's done it in back-to-back weeks."
Reds coach Les Kiss admitted he'd been forced to play Gordon for longer than planned due to injuries and the match situation in recent weeks.
He hinted there could be changes to manage players' workloads ahead of stern tests in Fiji and Wellington - against the Drua and Hurricanes - in the next fortnight.
