Queensland continue their Super Rugby run

Queensland extended their unbeaten Super Rugby run, but it was an unconvincing victory over the Sunwolves of Japan.

Queensland Reds player Hendrik Tui, right, is tackled by Harumichi Tatekawa, left. Picture: AFP

Queensland extended their unbeaten Super Rugby run at home to three but it was an unconvincing victory over the Sunwolves of Japan and the man of the hour, Reds fullback Ayumu Goromaru, departed early with a shoulder injury.

The Reds always looked to have measure of the Sunwolves on their first visit to Australian soil, scoring four tries to three in a 35-25 victory, but it was far from a complete performance as the inventive Japanese side teased and taunted them.

Australian coach Michael Cheika would have had his heart in his mouth when Samu Kerevi was cleared to play having just recovered from a broken hand but by the end of the match he would have been delighted that the big centre played his way back into top form ahead of next month’s three Test series against England.

Goromaru dropped his shoulder and hit giant Sunwolves flanker Liaki Moli with everything in a futile attempt to prevent a try in the 55th minute and had to retire but he had played solidly and given the planeloads of Japanese fans who had come out for the match something to cheer about.

Indeed, the crowd for the match was a season record for the Reds, 19,073 and while the Reds only showed glimpses of the form they showed in beating the Highlanders and, to a lesser extent, the Cheetahs, it was a welcome fillip before the Queensland team drops off the face of the earth for a five week break – a bye, followed by the June Test window.

Number eight Curtis Browning grabbed a double in a constructive performance and the forward pack generally was solid, but arguably the most useful contribution came from winger Chris Feauai-Sautia who twice saved the day when the Japanese looked certain to score.

Queensland went to the break with a two tries to one advantage and a 17-13 lead but it was generally an unconvincing performance from the Reds. Though their scrum was so dominant they could have earned a penalty from every attacking feed, it was their lineout that they used as a launching pad.

On the first occasion, in the 14th minute, they scored from a mishap, with hooker Andrew Ready and lock Caderyn Neville not getting their timing right as the ball sailed into the hands of prop James Slipper at the back. They quickly regrouped, however, and following a charge from Liam Gill into the thick of the defence, number eight Browning had only to pick up and drive over for an easy try.

The second time – in the 28th minute - they got it exactly right, using a four-man lineout to good effect as it split wide open for halfback Nick Frisby to steam through the middle of it. Neville was on hand to power towards the corner and though the Sunwolves defence scrambled to stop him, they had little defence left when Slipper steamed onto the ball for his first try of the season.

Other than that, however, they Reds were laboured in everything they did, getting it completely wrong in defence on a number of occasions. Twice Feauai-Sautia saved tries, once by diving on the ball to prevent Sunwolves fullback Riaan Viljoen toeing the ball over the line, the second time by running down try-scoring machine Akihito Yamada when he looked set to score.

But there was nothing he could do after centre Anthony Fainga’a rushed up out of the line in an attempt to shut down a threatening attack, only for the speed of pass to beat him. Suddenly, outside centre Derek Carpenter was spearing into a hole, pushing off – of all people – flanker Hendrick Tui to score a stunning try.

There was a sense of unease during the halftime break at the ease with which the Reds were inviting the Sunwolves into the match but Browning temporarily eased fears with a barrelling drive off the back of a lineout driving maul. He broke off 10m short but initially was halted just short of the line. But then the cavalry arrived in the shape of the Reds forwards and he was driven over for his second try of the match.

But the nervousness quickly returned as the Sunwolves launched a raid down the left flank, with Pisi unleashing winger Yamada on a 30m run. Kerevi eventually wrestled him to the ground but Pisi was on hand to get the return catch and then quickly transfer it to Carpenter to score a double of his own.

A Goromaru penalty pushed the jittery Reds out to a 25-20 lead but when the Reds immediately lost possession from the kickoff, the Sunwolves were in again. Goromaru did everything to stop backrower Moli barrelling over in the corner, including an illegal shoulder charge, but to no avail.

Pisi had the chance to put the Sunwolves into the lead but his conversion attempt was a shocker. Nonetheless, the game was on a knife-edge at 25-all.

The Reds have looked to Kerevi all season in times of crisis and, with the match in the balance, they looked to him again. The Sunwolves spilled the ball on attack and Kerevi swooped, circling wide to take the ball up to halfway, drawing three defenders to stop him. Instantly Frisby spotted a gap on the blindside and from there it was a simply matter of drawing the fullback to give Neville an untroubled 40m run to the line.

That left the Reds a full 20 minutes to attempt to get the two tries the needed for a bonus point but they never really threatened. Indeed, a Jake McIntyre penalty goal was all they could manage, though Kerevi did set pulses racing right at the death as he powered through the middle of the Japanese defence to set sail for the corner, only to be brought down by the cover defence.