Super Rugby AU: Queensland Reds beat Western Force 31-24; match report
For the first time since 2013, the Queensland Reds have gone four matches without defeat but they had to earn their latest win the hard way against the Western Force.
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Queensland wins over the Western Force only come one way, hard-fought and desperate, and that was precisely how it was on Friday night at Suncorp Stadium as the Reds consolidated their position at the top of the Super Rugby AU ladder.
It was a win that levelled the historic tally between the two sides at nine apiece with one drawn and like all backyard matches between siblings – there were 15 Queenslanders in the overall Perth squad – it was a slog from kickoff through to Force second-rower Jeremy Thrush’s final knock-on to end proceedings.
Queensland’s 31-24 victory ensured that for the first time since 2013, they had gone four matches without defeat but it was a contest for the full 80 minutes.
The Force scrum was the best they have met this season, never more so than when Queensland’s leading cap-winner Greg Holmes came on in the second half to bolster the Perth set piece. But there were outstanding performances across the field from a WA side that is certain to win some matches after pushing both NSW and Queensland – the two heartland states – to the limit in two weeks.
James O’Connor returned to something approaching his form from March with a faultless four-from-four goalkicking display, supplemented by a field goal, but he still cost his side a vital try on the brink of halftime with an errant pass that was intercepted by two-try Force winger Byron Ralston.
After the dirge of the Reds-Rebels match last week, Friday night’s game turned into a try-fest, six of them coming in an entertaining if somewhat bizarre first half.
Jono Lance was credited by Reds coach Brad Thorn for helping bring about a huge turnaround when he played for Queensland two years ago. But on Friday night he was playing for the Force and was proving just as inspirational, twice creating tries inside three minutes with his crisp, direct passing right on the line.
Referee Nic Berry had the whistle in his mouth about to blow up a Force penalty after Reds No 8 Harry Wilson intercepted a pass. But no sooner did he have control of the ball than he lost it again, Lance pouncing on the ball and sending it wide where centre Marcel Brache sent fullback Jack McGregor on an untroubled run to the corner.
Seemingly only moments later, Lance was at his scheming best, dropping a deft chip kick in behind the Reds line. Brache again did the link work and two phases later former Brothers winger Ralston was sprinting for the first of his two tries in the opening stanza. His second came just on halftime as he took the gamble of coming in off his wing as Reds playmaker O’Connor passed straight to him.
Ralston was put to the test, chased for 90m by Queensland speedster Filipo Daugunu but he made no impression. Daugunu did have the last say, however, as he charged down Lance’s point-blank conversion to limit the damage to 21-19 at break.
The Reds’ own try scoring also came in a clump, from the 19th to the 27th minute during which time they levelled at two tries apiece – hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and fullback Jock Campbell both crossing for inventive tries – before an O’Connor 50-22 kick set up an attacking lineout from which heavyweight prop Taniela Tupou scored soon after.
The creativity continued after the break but the try flood slowed.
Daugunu scored early, courtesy of a neat tap-on from centre Hunter Paisami but the Reds couldn’t break free. Captain Liam Wright tried to steal a try when he fringed around the ruck and attempted to place the ball even as Jacob Abel was set to pass it. Berry was ready to rule it a try but not so the TMO. And then Campbell knocked on in the act of regathering a Chris Feauai-Sautia kick.
The score stayed anchored at 28-19 and that was all the encouragement the Force needed to find their second wind. They were helped by a dangerous lifting tackle in the 69th minute by Paisami on former Wallaby Kyle Godwin that left Berry with no choice but to yellow card him.
However, it was the Reds who finished the strongest. O’Connor nudged a field goal in the 77th minute but that still made the margin only seven points and set the match up for another super time but again the Force could not take the opening and the match closed with Queensland clinging on.
Originally published as Super Rugby AU: Queensland Reds beat Western Force 31-24; match report