Super Rugby AU Grand Final: Noah Lolesio stands firm as Brumbies shut down the fast-finishing Reds
Cometh the hour, cometh the man and Australia may just have found one with Noah Lolesio instrumental in repelling the swarming Queensland Reds and sealing the Brumbies’ first title for 16 years.
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Australian rugby’s next star has arrived with Noah Lolesio leading the Brumbies to a heart-stopping 28-23 victory over the Queensland Reds in the Australian Super Rugby Grand Final.
Just 20, and in his first game back from injury, Lolesio kept his cool to guide the Brumbies to their first title since 2004 after the Reds almost stole at the end.
Packed with some of the most promising young players in the country, the Reds lost no admirers in their gut-wrenching loss but were left to rue what could have been.
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Queensland paid a high price for their ill discipline and were not helped by key injuries — with whizkid Jordan Petaia unable to return to the field in the second half and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto departing early after a head knock on his 24th birthday.
A little older and with the advantage of playing at home — the Brumbies got the job done through their extra experience — though it was the composure of Lolesio that was decisive.
Earmarked as Australia’s next playmaker, his man of the match performance has left new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie with a tricky decision to make before next month’s Bledisloe Cup series in New Zealand.
He finished with 13 points — from two conversions, two penalties and a cool-as-you-like drop goal — and had a hand in Andy Muirhead’’s first half try when he tiptoed around a defender before offloading to his winger.
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“I was a little bit nervous before the game,” Lolesio said.
“This year’s definitely been crazy, I’m not really thinking about that at the moment.”
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said he had no doubt Lolesio would rise to the moment.
“He’s just a kid who backs his own ability. I knew he wouldn’t be overawed by the occasion,” McKellar said.
Struggling at the start of the season then gutted by mid-year departures, the Reds can take real consolation from making the final of a competition that almost didn’t happen but ended with a cliffhanger.
“We’re obviously disappointed because we came here to get the job done, we came close but didn’t get there,” Reds coach Brad Thorn said.
“It was pretty close wasn’t it? The guys competed hard, the guys showed their ticker and their resilience to get back into it.”
Queensland skipper Liam Wright said the Reds gave it everything.
“It’s not fun losing grand finals,” he said. “At the moment we’re pretty gutted but all you can do is tip your hat to the Brumbies but we didn’t leave anything out there and we can live with that.”
The Brumbies led 15-3 in the first half and 28-13 midway through the second term but just couldn’t shake off the Reds, who finished strongly after struggling with their lineouts and discipline.
Spurning the chance for a shot at goal, the Brumbies scored their opening try off the back of a penalty when they kicked for the corner and got full reward when Folau Fainga‘a was driven over from the ensuing maul.
The Brumbies’ second try came from a rare mistake by in-form Queensland winger Filipo Daugunu who spilt a high kick that ended with Muirhead wriggling over the line after a nice break from Tevita Kuridrani in the lead up.
A moment of individual brilliance from Petaia kick started Queensland’s first comeback as the Reds began to dominate the scrums with Taniela Tupou — named as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player – proving unstoppable in the set pieces.
Petaia darted through a hole and flicked passed to Harry Wilson — who had another strong game with his midfield bursts — diving over, but the star utility back was benched for the second half when he tweaked his groin.
The Brumbies reasserted their control after the break when Tom Banks finished off a try out wide and Loselio kept the scoreboard ticking over when Daugunu was sent to the sin bin for an awkward tackle on Cadeyrn Neville.
Loselio’s main rival for the Wallaby No. 10 jersey, James O’Connor, kept the Reds in the game with 13 points off his boot to overtake Waratahs’ young gun Will Harrison as the tournament’s leading point scorer.
A try by lock Angus Blyth — who had QLD REDS shaved into his head — 15 minutes from the end cut the margin to five points but the visitors were unable to score again as the Brumbies held form against the second comeback to take the title.
“It was a huge effort from the boys but you’ve got to give credit to the Reds,” Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa said. “They made it hard for us.
“We had a lot of momentum heading into that second half and it’s a testament to how strong the Reds side is.”
Originally published as Super Rugby AU Grand Final: Noah Lolesio stands firm as Brumbies shut down the fast-finishing Reds