Tight scrap: Reds pip Brumbies
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The Reds escaped Canberra with a 13-12 win over the Brumbies after pivot Zack Holmes missed a last-gasp penalty to win the game for his team.
With time up on the clock, Holmes pushed his 37 metre attempt wide to hand Queensland a Super Rugby lifeline as the defending champions picked up a third consecutive win that keeps their play-off hopes alive.
The Reds, who scored the only try of the match, have now cut back the Brumbies' lead at the top of the Australian conference to five points. It means the teams are almost level on points in the Australian conference as the Queenslanders have a bye next weekend.
With Wallabies coach Robbie Deans watching from the stands, the top two Australian teams bashed and belted each other in a brutally tight match.
Quade Cooper completed a full 80 minutes for the Reds for the first time this season, giving himself a chance of being selected in an extended Wallabies' squad for the June Tests after recovering from his serious knee injury at last year's World Cup.
Reds full-back Luke Morahan enhanced his chances of selection as a Wallaby full-back with his dashing try after fielding a high kick deep in his own half and launching a counter-attack and scoring off his own kick ahead in the third minute of the match.
Mike Harris kicked the conversion, but from then on in it was a kicking duel between the Reds centre and Holmes, who landed four penalties - but not his fifth and last attempt, which would have sealed victory.
The scorers:
For Brumbies:
Pens: Holmes 4
For Reds:
Try: Morahan
Con: Harris
Pens: Harris 2
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Andrew Smith, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Zack Holmes, 9 Nic White; 8 Ben Mowen (c), 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Peter Kimlin, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Dan Palmer, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16 Anthony Hegarty, 17 Ruaidhri Murphy, 18 Leon Power, 19 Ita Vaea, 20 Ian Prior, 21 Robbie Coleman, 22 Tevita Kuridrani.
Reds: 15 Luke Morahan, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Anthony Faingaa, 12 Mike Harris, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Liam Gill, 6 Beau Robinson, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 James Slipper, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Greg Holmes.
Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Ben Daley, 18 Adam Wallace-Harrison, 19 Jake Schatz, 20 Nick Frisby, 21 Dallan Murphy, 22 Chris F'Sautia.
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Comments
trippa says...
Reds forwards some of the most negative players at the breakdown and deserved to have a yellow card against them. Especially Saia Faingaa. If that is the 2 best teams in Aussie ... god help the wallabies what a crappy display of kicking and fear of losing.
Thank God I support a team who attempts to attack at every opportunity .... GO the CANES!
Posted 12:34 26th May 2012