Highlanders spoil Reds’ party with commanding Trans-Tasman win

The Highlanders have outmuscled the Queensland Reds to claim victory in round one of the Super Rugby’s Trans-Tasman series.

After an early deadlock, the Highlanders took control of the game. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Queensland Reds’ title celebrations have come to a shuddering halt after they were beaten 40-19 by the Highlanders in a stark reality check for Brad Thorn’s men.

Coming just six days after the Reds’ taxing Super Rugby AU grand final win over the Brumbies, the Highlanders match always posed a risk for the Reds.

The Otago side was coming off a two-week break after a disappointing Super Rugby Aotearoa final and took their frustration out on the visitors, with the six tries to three win their biggest over the Reds since 2004.

Without talisman James O’Connor in the closing 40 minutes after he was forced off following a head clash, the Reds unravelled, conceding three second-half tries, including two in the final 10 minutes before rugby league convert Suliasi Vunivalu scored his second of the night to help add some respectability to the score.

The Reds rang in the changes after the Super Rugby AU decider – some due to injury, while others like Tate McDermott were rested from the 23 and others benched after a mammoth domestic campaign.

But it was their error rate and a panicked style of play that was absent during the Australian season, that brought them undone.

Reds captain Liam Wright said the Highlanders made the most of Queensland’s mistakes and pressured the visitors into trouble.

“Unfortunately for us we kept making (mistakes) in the wrong areas and (they) were very good,” Wright said.

“We had some good chances, we found things that worked for us, like the maul and got some good kicks across to Suli (Vunivalu) but I think we pushed that last pass a bit, we knew we’d have to back our skills to take it to these guys tonight and we just pushed that last pass too much and they made the most of it.”

Coach Brad Thorn agreed the Reds had their chances but said his team went to Dunedin to “get a job done”.

“All week we haven’t talked about excuses,” Thorn said.

“A lot got put into that game (last week) but it’s probably more emotions, in professional sport, if you come in five per cent off, it can make a solid difference.

“But we came here to get a job done and until that last 20 (minutes) it was an arm wrestle … we just didn’t take those moments and the Highlanders did.”

Only the top two teams at the end of the single fixture round advance to the Trans-Tasman final and the Reds need to rebound fast, with their clash against Super Rugby Aotearoa champions the Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday.

Highlanders star Josh Dickson needed medical attention during Friday night’s game. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

O’CONNOR’S INFLUENCE PROFOUND

James O’Connor has engineered more comebacks this season than some of the young Reds have had hot dinners.

And the Reds missed their talisman in the second half after he left the game following a head clash.

The flyhalf’s kicking game has not always been perfect but it has been considered and his absence in the second half exposed what is still a problem area for the Reds.

Bryce Hegarty’s pinpoint crosskick for Vunivalu’s try and a huge touch-finder aside, the Reds kicked poorly in general play, while Highlanders half Aaron Smith’s kicking was the opposite, relieving pressure or putting his side in an attacking position time and again.

SULI ON SONG

Suliasi Vunivalu has had a frustrating debut season in the 15-man code, with off-field incidents and injury preventing him from making the impact he and the Reds would have liked.

But in reeling in a towering crosskick to score a try early in the second half, the winger showed what a weapon he can be in a one-on-one contest and just why the Reds were so keen to have him cross codes.

The former Melbourne Storm flyer sealed his double in the dying seconds when he was on the end of another Hegarty crosskick as the Highlanders’ defence drifted off the flank.

LEARNINGS FOR THOMAS

Teen scrumhalf Kalani Thomas will learn plenty from his first start for the Reds after an up-and-down showing against the Highlanders.

Thomas threw away possession in the opening seconds of the match after a mix-up at the base of a ruck, with the Highlanders sending centre Scott Gregory over in an amazing opening.

The 19-year-old made up for his mistake with a try of his own just minutes later but it was not the turnaround the Reds had hoped for, with the team making just one more foray into the opposition 22 in the first half, with Thomas substituted early in the second term.

HIGHLANDERS 40 (Tries: Gregory, Dixon 2, Tomkinson, Coltman, Punivai; Cons: Hunt 5) def

QUEENSLAND REDS 19 (Tries: Thomas, Vunivalu 2; Cons: O’Connor, Hegarty)

Originally published as Highlanders spoil Reds’ party with commanding Trans-Tasman win