Jonathan Rea is fourth and sixth in Philip Island races

Jonathan Rea in action at Philip Island in Australia

Jonathan Rea made a good start to his World Superbike Championship campaign with fourth and sixth-place finishes in Philip Island in Australia on Sunday.

It leaves the Ten Kate Honda rider in joint fifth place in the early standings on 23 points along with Sylvain Guintoli of France.

Britain's Leon Haslam leads after claiming his first win and then being runner-up in the second race.

Eugene Laverty won the opening race of the World Supersport series.

The Toomebridge man, second behind Cal Crutchlow in last year's championship, set the pace from the early stages of a 21-lap restarted race.

Laverty, riding for the Parkalgar Honda team again this year, put on an impressive display of frontrunning to win by 4.359 seconds with Kawasaki pole man Joan Lascorz in second place.