Brumbies backrower ends Reds’ home final fairytale with late try

Brumbies backrower Tuaina Tualima ended the Reds’ dream of a home final, putting the finishing touch on Queensland’s loss in the nation’s capital.

Andy Muirhead is tackled by the Reds defence. Picture: Getty Images

Brumbies interchange backrower Tuaina Tualima sealed the Reds 24-14 fate with a kiss on Saturday night when he stole a lineout throw in the 74th minute and crushed the visitors’ home-final hopes.

The Reds trailed 21-14 when Josh Nasser threw in the ball 5m out from his tryline. Towering athlete Tualima spoiled it and moments later Reds flanker Joe Brial was pinned for being offside, leading to a telling Ryan Lonergan penalty goal.

Wallaby scrumhalf-contender Lonergan, who kicked four-from-four, snatched a healthy 10-point buffer and that was game.

Brumbies gun Andy Muirhead is stopped in traffic. Picture: Getty Images

Queensland, whose demise came in the 45th minute when Hunter Paisami was yellow carded, lost the second half 17-7 after a vicious first half finished in a 7-all deadlock.

The Brumbies, who have now won six of their last seven against the Reds, jumped to first on the Super Rugby ladder and completed a two-game series sweep of their rivals in the process. A home-final is ensured.

“(Beating the Reds gives us) plenty of confidence. That’s a rivalry that has been built now for a long time, especially while we were playing them in the Australian conference,” said Brumbies lock Lachlan Shaw.

“They are games we pencil every year. To get the wins on both occasions this year was very special for us as a group.”

Queensland lost powerhouse 21-year-old prop Massimo De Lutiis to a suspected shoulder dislocation in the final 10 minutes after he offered plenty off the bench. Earlier in the second half, Brumbies captain and veteran Wallaby prop Allan Alaalatoa came off with a worrying non-contact leg injury.

David Feliuai tries to beat the Reds defence. Picture: Getty Images

BOBBY GOES BANG FOR THE BRUMBS

Brumbies henchman Rob ‘Bobby’ Valetini was outstanding and his defensive effort, breakdown presence and outright power challenged the Reds all night.

The Wallaby hitman spearheaded a raucous breakdown display by the hosts which was where Reds captain Tate McDermott conceded the match was lost post-game.

Valetini was enormous in a gruelling first half on a sodden GIO Stadium surface and when Reds midfielder Paisami was yellow carded for a swinging arm on Lonergan (45tH), his backs took full advantage by scoring two tries within five minutes.

That decided the game.

Tim Ryan scores a try for the Reds. Picture: Getty Images

It was 7-all and then 21-7 before the Reds could blink, with Andy Muirhead and Tom Wright both scoring in the right corner. Slick backline shifts made quick use of the one-man overlap.

Shortly after Paisami returned to the fold, hooker Nasser nabbed a try at the back of an effective rolling maul to be 21-14 down with 20 minutes left.

The Brumbies defended stoically to stave off the visitors across a frantic final quarter of play.

REDS BACKROW REIGN SUPREME EARLY

The tale of the tape showed it’s always close between these two teams. They played each other in consecutive Super Rugby AU finals (2020,2021) and that rivalry still runs deep.

The match lived up to its typical high billing with the scores level at oranges. Dogged defence was a theme in the early going with the Brumbies’ linespeed suffocating the Reds backs.

Only once did the hosts’ dam wall fall and it was when halfback McDermott scurried from the ruck base and flung a pass to tryscorer Tim Ryan, as he fell to ground.

Fraser McReight tries to find a way through. Picture: Getty Images

Brumbies captain Alaalatoa returned serve for the home side 15 minutes (20th) later to draw level. Being level was a good result for the ACT given the glut of possession the Queenslanders enjoyed in the first half hour.

Blindside flanker Brial, No. 8 John Bryant and jackling breakaway Fraser McReight were everywhere.

Brial’s barnstorming carries mimicked those of injured Wallaby Harry Wilson, while Bryant’s soft hands linking with his backs and the pilfering and awareness of an always-alert McReight were key features.

McReight twice starved the Brumbies of grabbing any points in the 22m when he stole the ball but the Brumbies started fast in the second to take the game and run with it.

Originally published as Brumbies backrower ends Reds’ home final fairytale with late try