Joe Rokocoko looked like the "Rocket Man" of old in a blazing three-try performance as the Junior All Blacks thumped Queensland 48-10 at Ballymore.

Rokocoko sent an instant message to the New Zealand selectors that he is back to his best and ready for action in the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.

Dumped to the second-string national side after a disappointing Super 12 season with the Blues, the 22-year-old Fijian-born flyer stunned the Reds by bagging two tries in the opening 11 minutes.

Rokocoko, who galloped his way to 27 tries in 23 Tests, set up another and looked dangerous throughout before completing his hat-trick in the dying minutes.

His effort in the tour-opening eight-try rout will leave All Blacks incumbents Doug Howlett and Sitiveni Sivivatu no margin for error in the first Test against the Lions on Saturday.

As joyous as it was for the Auckland winger, it was an unhappy farewell for veteran prop Nick Stiles who captained the Reds in his 94th and final state match.

Cut by Queensland for the 2006 Super 14, the 31-year-old battled hard but his pack lacked the power and class of the tourists.

While the attack-at-all costs Reds were willing, the elementary errors that plagued them during this season's disastrous Super 12 campaign were again apparent.

Two kick-offs that sailed out on the full, a tight-head scrum loss and a string of turnovers at the breakdown undermined patches of promising work.

The best news for the home side was the injury-free return of Elton Flatley who showed some good touches at five-eighth.

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