Super Rugby: Reds come back to beat Blues 29-28 in thriller
The Reds fought back from a big deficit to beat the Blues and send inspirational skipper Samu Kerevi out a winner. PLUS FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED
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Tears of joy and emotion flooded from Reds skipper Samu Kerevi are a rousing comeback victory delivered him a perfect farewell before he heads to Japanese rugby next year.
As a “Sayonara Samu” ending it could not have been more fitting with a 29-28 win over the Blues after fighting back from a dozy 14-0 deficit.
SEE BELOW FOR FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT THE REDS
It was a huge hoodoo-buster because the first Reds’ win over a Kiwi opponent since 2016 snapped a 15-run streak of losses.
Post-match, Kerevi declined to confirm his switch to Japanese club Suntory.
In his ever humble way, he deflected the celebrations to No.8 Scott Higginbotham (Bordeaux) and replacement centre Duncan Paia’aua (Toulon), who were playing the final matches at Suncorp Stadium before heading to French clubs.
Kerevi roared to a section of the crowd in delight on full-time, was embraced by hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and was still signing autographs in the crowd (9677) 20 minutes after full-time.
Centre Kerevi stepped out of a Ma’a Nonu tackle early and was at his high workrate best with 16 runs for 88m.
The Reds were 14-0 down before they woke up.
The strikeback try was a beauty ignited by a nice shuffle step and surge from Kerevi. Who else?
A backhanded offload and an even better one from winger Jock Campbell gave Higginbotham a 30m run down the sideline for his 40th try in Super Rugby.
That’s an incredible record for the most tries by a forward in Super Rugby history when you think dynamic Hurricanes backrower Ardie Savea has just ticked past 20.
It was also a glimpse at the firepower the Reds will be without next year.
The Reds have proved themselves great scrappers this year and got to the lead 22-21 early in the second half when new halfback Scott Malolua created something on the blindside.
He linked with flyhalf Matt McGahan, a fellow product of Auckland’s Mount Albert Grammar School, to put the pacy Bryce Hegarty over.
Malolua’s showed some neat passing touches to change the direction of play, prop Taniela Tupou had four ball-carries in the lead-up to his try, lock Izack Roddas was excellent and Higgnbotham had one of his best games of the year.
Even when the Blues had flanker Dalton Papali’i sinbinned late in the game, the Reds didn’t seem to have the variety to utilise an overlap.
Finally, with just over two minutes to play, Higginbotham was charging over for his second try after replacements Moses Sorovi and Paia’aia had neatly exposed the Blues down the blindside.
It still took an angled conversion from Hegarty from 13m in from touch to trigger celebrations.
There was so much effort put into this droughtbreaker. The six-win Reds have now matched their effort of last year and head to Canberra for a final match of the season next Saturday.
FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED ABOUT THE REDS
1 Whatever progress the Reds have made under coach Brad Thorn over the past two seasons, they will be going backwards without line-buster Samu Kerevi next season.
He is integral to every good thing the Reds create in the backs where the team seems too often bereft of plays in attacking positions.
2 New halfback Scott Malolua showed some nice touches in his first starting role. Any halfback who uses the short side as a weapon is a plus as he did for the Bryce Hegarty try.
3 Izack Rodda’s lineout strengths and non-stop work have elevated him to Australia’s top lock. He had a big game.
4 The Reds reserves deserve plaudits. Halfback Moses Sorovi made a timely dart, centre Duncan Paia’aua’s playmaking added what was needed and lock Harry Hockings put in a good half hour.
5 Flyhalf Matt McGahan had a composed game and you expect he’d be signed to a new contract for 2020. He kicked too much early but he is a senior voice for the backs.
REDS 29 (S Higginbotham 2, T Tupou, B Hegarty tries; H Hegarty 3 con, pen goal) bt BLUES 28 (A Pulu 2, B Gibson, T Tele’a tries; O Black 4 con)
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