Highlanders the latest New Zealand team to beat the Queensland Reds

New Zealand teams continue to prove a stumbling block for the Queensland Reds.

Queensland’s poor form against New Zealand opposition continues, with the Highlanders the latest Kiwi outfit to inflict defeat on the sliding Reds.

The Queenslanders again failed to make the most of a good start, giving up a 12-0 lead to lose 27-19 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

It was Queensland’s third successive Super Rugby Pacific loss to a New Zealand rival.

Having started the season with seven wins from eight matches against teams from the Australian side of the draw, the Reds are now falling down the ladder on the back of a poor run since the start of the competition’s crossover period last month.

And it’s not going to get any easier for the Brad Thorn-coached team, who now travel across the ditch for successive matches against New Zealand’s best two teams – the Blues and the Crusaders.

The Highlanders are supposedly among the weaker of the Kiwi sides but they showed great spirit and composure to fight back from two tries down not only take the lead, but regain it and close out the game out in a professional and controlled manner.

Thorn said the Highlanders had taught Queensland a lesson in being ruthless.

“It’s just those little moments,” the gutted Reds coach said.

“Another game goes by wasted. We had our opportunities.”

Reds skipper Tate McDermott said the Reds were “switching off” in vital periods.

Folau Fakatava celebrates scoring for the Highlanders. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Disciplinary problems that have haunted the Reds this season suddenly became an issue for the Highlanders in the first half.

The Kiwi outfit had two players – lock Josh Dickson and No.8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u – sent to the sin-bin in the opening 17 minutes of the match.

Dickson was yellow-carded after his shoulder made contact with the head of Reds prop Feao Fotuaika, while Mikaele-Tu’u was given the same punishment for a dangerous tackle on Queensland flyhalf Lawson Creighton.

With the visitors down to 13 men, the Reds immediately pounced, with fullback Jock Campbell running on to a slick Creighton pass to score out wide.

Creighton was also involved in Queensland’s second try 12 minutes later, with his high kick to the corner finding the grateful arms of centre Josh Flook, who leapt high above Highlanders’ flyhalf Mitchell Hunt to score.

But leading 12-0, the Reds again faltered in the 20 minutes either side of half-time.

By the break, the Highlanders had reduced Queensland’s lead to just two points, with a 33rd-minute try from Thomas Umaga-Jensen all too easy for the visitors, with centre getting the better of five Reds – Harry Wilson, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Ryan Smith, Tate McDermott and Campbell – on his away to the line.

By the 50th minute, the Highlanders led 13-12, before a converted Ryan Smith try briefly put the Reds back in front,

However, the Highlanders responded, scoring the game’s final 14 points via converted tries from winger Scott Gregory and replacement Folau Fakatava to continue Queensland’s misery.

Highlanders coach Tony Brown was “extremely proud” of his team’s effort.

“We hung in there, hung tough ... the guys stayed composed on the field,” Brown said.

“We knew if we could just hang tough, be really good defensively, be in the game in that last 20 where our impact guys come off the bench, that we could potentially come over the top of them.”

Originally published as Highlanders the latest New Zealand team to beat the Queensland Reds