A Carter Gordon try with the last play of a crazy Saturday night delivered the Queensland Reds their first win in Canberra for five years.
Two tries in the final two minutes were needed for a stunning 34-31 victory over the ACT Brumbies who had looked home at 31-20.
The kick-off to the intense local derby was delayed 85 minutes because of lightning strikes around Canberra’s GIO Stadium.
New kick-off times were proposed and delayed again and again because of lightning in the vicinity of the stadium as the storm moved away.
It fed the drama of a riveting Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific match with five lead changes and spirited Reds’ fightbacks when down 12-0 and 31-20.
“We didn’t start that well but certainly worked our way back into the game in the first half in pretty good fashion. To finish like we did at the back end of the game after all the shenanigans early was special from the boys,” Reds Head Coach Les Kiss said.
“We didn’t spend a lot of time up on the Brumbies tryline so for Carter to take the bull by the horns in that moment was certainly very good for us and him for sure.
“We weren’t quite up to it at certain moments against a Brumbies side which knows how to pressure you but over the 80 minutes we found a way to get the job done.”
The Reds were down 12-0 early before a clever inside ball from No.8 Harry Wilson gave winger Lachie Anderson a chance to surge over.
Better still was the Josh Flook try to get the Reds ahead 17-12 at the 27-minute mark.
A sweeping play to the left involved Gordon, centre Isaac Henry, Wilson and flanker Fraser McReight before Flook scooted over. Flook had started the chance by leaping to tap back a high kick into Reds’ hands.
All the while, halfback Louis Werchon kept knocking over conversions and two penalty goals. He kicked six-from-six in an impressive display.
The Reds led 20-19 at half-time but it was the Brumbies who took the ascendency with two tries for a 31-20 lead on the 72-minute mark.
There were less than two minutes on the clock when replacement Filipo Daugunu burrowed over on a pick-and-go. Daugunu was an emergency flanker at that point with lock Josh Canham having limped off.
There were only 80 seconds on the clock when the Brumbies re-started play. A superb 45m break from fullback Jock Campbell from deep in his own quarter and a left-footed kick ahead for rookie Treyvon Pritchard gave the Reds a chance.
Several strong scrums gave the Reds their platform. From a ruck, Werchon fed Gordon, who angled a run to the corner, beat the defence and dived over.
It was a worthy highlight for Club Rugby Round. Gordon was wearing a sock each from two clubs that shaped him, Sunshine Coast Grammar and Wests.
Young replacement Treyvon Pritchard played 64 minutes on the wing when Anderson came off early.
It was a wonderful blooding for the 18-year-old who beat the tackle of elder brother Kadin, playing for the Brumbies, on one occasion.
“Treyvon has been impressive for the past six months. I thought he had a handy game. There were a couple of moments where he found out what this next level is like when space is not always there on the edges.
“He’s a great lad and he’ll only be better for that outing. We were really pleased with how he went.”
The Reds now regroup for a big clash against the NSW Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday night.
“We’ve played them twice this year and they’ve got the better of us both times. We are aware of the threat they pose. They’ll be disappointed with their game last Friday night so we are expecting a full-blown Waratahs squad to try to put it on us next weekend,” Kiss said.
Queensland Reds 34
Tries: Lachie Anderson, Josh Flook, Filipo Daugunu, Carter Gordon
Conversions: Louis Werchon 4
Penalty Goals: Louis Werchon 2
Def
ACT Brumbies 31
Tries: Charlie Cale 2, Lachlan Shaw, Andy Muirhead, Luke Reimer
Conversions: Ryan Lonergan 3
Half-time: Reds 20-Brumbies 19
Venue: GIO Stadium
