Jayden Hayward’s late try gives Western Force thrilling 32-29 win over Queensland Reds
A LATE try to fullback Jayden Hayward has earned the Western Force a thrilling 32-29 win over Queensland Reds at Suncorp Stadium.
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THE play-off dreams of the Reds are reeling after the spirited gatecrashers from the Western Force stole a 32-29 upset which showed all the patience that the Queenslanders are painfully lacking.
The radar boot of world rugby’s best back-up goalkicker seemed to have rescued the Reds at Suncorp Stadium when Mike Harris banged over four-from-four for his side to lead 29-25 with two minutes to play.
The Force had never won four games in a row in their nine-season history but they will remember the night they did forever.
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After 16 phases of pressure, bearded fullback Jayden Hayward stepped through from 20m out to score the dream-making try beside the posts. Flanker Beau Robinson was wrong-footed, Quade Cooper’s desperate grab fell away and Will Genia hung grimly to one Hayward leg to no avail as he crashed over.
The groan from 27,024 Reds fans was immediate as they saw their side tumble to 11th with a 3-4 win-loss ledger.
Giving up is not in the DNA of this Reds team and one final fling on full-time gave Cooper a shot at a potential equalising field goal.
Cooper had calmly slotted one from almost the same position against the Stormers a week earlier but his disgust at pushing this attempt to the right was intense. He flung his mouthguard to the ground and plenty of slumped Reds bodies followed.
The Reds led 14-12, 20-17, 23-22 and 29-25 in a thriller of eight lead changes but the impressive Force had the answers with the only two tries of the second half.
The Force repeated their boilover of Suncorp Stadium a year ago with a far more impressive display having played 10 minutes with 14 men when flanker Angus Cottrell was yellow carded for a shoulder charge.
The Force led 22-20 entering the final 20 minutes of the see-sawing night when winger Luke Morahan surged over out wide against his former Reds teammates.
Regular Reds goalkicker Cooper had copped a knock early in the second half and when Harris slotted his first he kept the job.
It was a night of heroic performances, drama and close calls.
Reds skipper James Horwill had his best game of the year, Morahan and fellow winger Nick Cummins did their few duties expertly and No. 8 Ben McCalman was a storming influence up front.
Centre Ben Tapaui’s form improvement continued, Genia was solid without making a run and Cooper was non-stop on his 26th birthday although losing the handle on the ball several times.
Cottrell, a former Wests boy from Brisbane, was fired up for a big one against his state of origin and uncorked a rattling hit on Reds backrower Jake Schatz midway through the first half. If he’d wrapped his arms it would have been the tackle of the opening 40 minutes. He didn’t and was whistled to the sin bin despite a pat on the head from a teammate who loved the physical statement.
That crucial moment stemmed a worrying tide in the game for the Reds who gave away five penalties in 10 minutes and found themselves on the backfoot at 12-0.
The Reds kicked for touch, not penalty goal, from the Cottrell penalty and swiftly surged left where prop James Slipper had a severe dose of try-line fever.
He inexplicably dummied with support outside and was swamped. Luckily, he could still celebrate a Reds try against the 14-man Force when centre Ben Tapuai scooted over from the next phase.
That switch in momentum continued when Slipper did crash over for a well-worked team try.
It was all made by the super pass from debutant winger Jamie-Jerry Taulagi which freed fullback Ben Lucas to round Cummins.
Rod Davies didn’t quite reach the tryline but the relay through Will Genia, James Horwill and Cooper did put Slipper away for a 14-12 lead.
WESTERN FORCE 32 (Jayden Hayward, Ben McCalman, Luke Morahan tries Hayward con Sias Ebersohn 4 pens drop goal) bt QUEENSLAND REDS 29 (James Slipper, Ben Tapuai tries Quade Cooper 2 cons Michael Harris 4, Cooper pens) at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Garratt Williamson. Crowd: 27,024.
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