Queensland Reds beaten at the margins by South African Sharks 33-23

A try in the 88th minute was testimony to the young Queensland side but otherwise the Reds were given a lesson in game management by the Sharks.

Scott Malolua of the Reds is tackled during the round-five Super Rugby match between the Reds and the Sharks at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. Picture: Getty Images

A try in the 88th minute was testimony to the sheer determination of the young Queensland side but otherwise the Reds were given a lesson in game management as the Sharks of South Africa emerged with a 33-23 win in the Super Rugby clash at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday night.

The Reds waltzed away to 10 tries last week against the Sunwolves but the visitors this time were of a different standard and a higher quality as they tamed the Queensland scrum and ended up tearing holes in a lineout that, until this match, had looked reasonably solid.

“It was a long way removed from the previous weekend, up against a very good side,” Reds coach Brad Thorn said. “They have been one of the talks of Super Rugby, the Sharks. They were a very good side and deserved to win tonight.”

The Sharks' Dylan Richardson celebrates victory. Picture: Patrick Hamilton/AFP

Sean Everitt, the Sharks coach, heaped praise on his players for their second-half comeback which enabled them to win three of their four matches on their tour of New Zealand and Australia.

“We were fortunate enough that we were in the game, giving away nine penalties in the first half didn’t help matters. We pulled it together in the second half and I think we got the better of it,’’ he said.

“We were quite fortunate to turn at [only] 8-11 down at halftime. It could have been way worse than that but luck was on our side. Unfortunately the Reds couldn’t score that try right on halftime. I felt that was quite significant in the game.”

Queensland five-eighth James O’Connor had dived over after the half-time siren for an apparent try next to the posts but the final pass from centre Hamish Stewart was judged to have gone fraction forward. It was the small margins that killed Queensland on that occasion and indeed overall.

In the end, Queensland finished with three tries to the Sharks’ four but had another disallowed and a third, to replacement halfback Scott Maloula, went begging when he lost the ball in the act of grounding it over the line.

But it would have to be said that from the moment O’Connor went off in the 46th minute with an ankle injury, with halves partner Tait McDermott following soon after – after scoring a brilliant opportunity try from a short-arm free kick from a 5m scrum – the Reds lost much of their direction.

McDermott’s try put the Queenslanders ahead 16-15 but two long-range penalty goals from Springbok Curwin Bosch saw them trailing 21-16 at the 70th minute.

James O'Connor of the Reds is seen looking at his injured ankle during the match. Picture: AAP

The next score was clearly going to be vital and it seemed that Taniela Tupou had delivered it with a scrambling crossing out wide out but referee Brendon Pickerill, who initially had awarded it, checked the replay and decided that the Reds tighthead has propelled himself forward on his knees.

Shortly after the Reds were hard on attack but a flat pass from centre Hunter Paisami was plucked out of the air by Sharks’ World Cup hero Lukhanyo Am and the giant centre sped away for an intercept try. That took the wind right out of the Reds sails and, when they turned over the ball to livewire Sharks flanker Dylan Richardson, No 8 Sikumbuzo Notshe waltzed past several tired defenders to put winger Madosh Tambwe away for the try.

“Yes and no,” said Reds captain Liam Wright when asked if the intercept try had broken the Queensland resistance. Yes, in that it effectively meant the Reds couldn’t win. No, because this ambitious young side was never going to surrender.

The Sharks weren’t finished and went all out for a bonus point try. Instead, Pickerill finally awoke to the fact that the visitors, though they had brilliant line speed, at times were offside in the backs and on the string of five penalties – which dragged the match eight minutes into overtime – replacement hooker Ed Craig finally was driven over for a consolation try.

But this was definitely a wake-up call for the Queensland side, the first time they have been tamed at set-piece time and they looked at a loss to know how to work with the scraps, especially when their two generals departed.

The first half was an intense arm-wrestle, with the Reds deservedly going into the halftime break 11-8, having a try disallowed right on half time when centre Hamish Stewart was ruled to have knocked the ball forward to five-eighth James O’Connor.

After rival goalkickers Jock Campbell of the Reds and the Sharks’ Curwin Bosch traded early penalty goals, the two sides settled down into a contest of wills. The visitors were contesting hard, twice turning over young Reds No 8 Harry Wilson at the breakdown and it came as no real surprise when they muscled up and drove over a driving maul from a lineout 10m out, hooker Kerron van Vuuren being credited with the score.

The Reds have conceded more tries to the driving maul than any other team in the competition – mainly courtesy of their mauling by the Jaguares in Buenos Aires – and it remains a curious blemish on their game. Any side as powerful in the scrum as the Reds are should have the muscle to stop it, although as the Brumbies have often demonstrated, it is all about technique, not strength.

Queensland were not long in replying, winger Henry Speight being put over in the corner after O’Connor and outside centre Hamish Stewart had combined well in midfield. But even as the Reds kept winning penalties – the final count was 15-10 – but then couldn’t win the resulting lineout, their game began to deteriorate. Nothing dramatic but the sharpness on display last week certainly was eroded in this contest.