Reds hero: Dom Shipperley
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Reds winger Dom Shipperley raced half the length of the field to score the match-winning try for his team on full-time to beat the Waratahs 25-21 in Sydney on Saturday.
The game was in the bag for the hosts, only for them to hand possession back to the Queenslanders who didn't need a second invitation to run it back and snatch victory from under the Waratahs' noses.
It was the only try the Reds could manage against the Waratahs, with fly-half Mike Harris adding six penalties and a conversion to end the night with a 100 per cent success rate and in the process took his tally in Super Rugby to 15 successive kicks at goal.
Number eight Wycliff Palu and South African scrum-half Sarel Pretorius crossed for the Waratahs, while skipper Daniel Halangahu added 11 points with the boot.
It wasn't the most entertaining match, but a real arm wrestle with plenty of physicality but little spark in attack.
Halangahu got his side on the scoreboard first with a well-struck penalty with barely two minutes up on the clock. Harris was quick to respond with a three-pointer of his own, and added two more that took the Reds into a 9-3 lead.
Palu went over for the Waratahs opening try after the Reds made a mess of a scrum close to their line. Reds scrum-half Will Genia snaffled the ball as it squirted out the Waratahs' scrum, however lost the ball in the tackle and Palu was gifted a simple score.
Harris retained his side's five-point lead however with penalty number four on the stroke of half-time to see the Reds lead 12-8.
That advantage was cut to just a point immediately after the break, with Halangahu making no mistake from bang in front in what was turning into a real kicking duel between him and Harris who kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Reds with another three-pointer.
Halangahu was off-target with a penalty, while hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau thought he had scored when he charged over but play was pulled back for a knock-on.
However Halangahu cut the gap to 15-14 with a penalty from close range before new signing Pretorius sniped around the edge of a breakdown to score.
Halangahu's conversion saw the home side lead 21-15 - although Harris was continued his impressive kicking display with another penalty to set up a thrilling finale.
And the Waratahs were made to pay for a lack of composure at the death as they missed touch in the dying seconds - and that set up the platform for Shipperley to strike.
The scorers:
For Waratahs:
Tries: Palu, Pretorius
Con: Halangahu
Pens: Halangahu 3
For Reds:
Try: Shipperley
Con: Harris
Pens: Harris 6
Waratahs: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Tom Kingston, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Brackin Karauria-Henry, 10 Daniel Halangahu (capt), 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Chris Alcock, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Dean Mumm, 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Paddy Ryan, 18 Lopeti Timani, 19 Jono Jenkins, 20 Brendan McKibbin, 21 Bernard Foley, 22 Nathan Trist.
Reds: 15 Luke Morahan, 14 Dom Shipperley, 13 Anthony Faingaa, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Mike Harris, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Beau Robinson, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 James Horwill (capt), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 James Slipper, 2 James Hanson, 1 Ben Daley.
Replacements: 16 Albert Anae, 17 Greg Holmes, 18 Van Humphries, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Ben Lucas, 22 Jono Lance.
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Comments
7ton says...
Couldn't believe it when having regained posession the Tahs kicked the ball back to the reds when they just needed to hold onto it and run down the clock by 25 seconds.
Credit to the reds for taking the opportunity
Posted 19:13 26th February 2012
gavo says...
Agree with Trader about the Tahs switching off.
Given the way Carter was sledging and patting Reds players on the head after they made mistakes near the end when the Tahs were ahead its a pity that the Karma Police were looking the other way and let Horne miss that last tackle instead of him!
Pretorius looks the goods. Can't wait to see him work with Barnes.
Posted 04:19 26th February 2012
damo says...
Tahs were robbed, the pen for Reds cos of missed binding when they led by was a joke, anyone notice when the Tahs scrum was marching forward in the ifrst half there was no sign of a pen as the ref told Palu to use the ball what a joke.
Reds were useless so were Tahs, Helen Goto is rubbish and selected as Captain was unreal also
Posted 12:17 25th February 2012
hayj05 says...
They had 30 seconds!!! All they needed to do was keep it in hand & run the clock out but a rush of blood to the head cost the Waratahs. Reds won a few games like that last year when they weren't playing well, a sign of great belief.
Posted 12:00 25th February 2012
NHsaints says...
Pretorius already on form, the cheetahs will miss him sorely I wouldn't put it past him to finish top of the scores list again this year...
Posted 11:18 25th February 2012