The Reds revolution under Les Kiss is well and truly underway, as Queensland held out the Chiefs to seal one of the franchise’s best wins in recent memory.
A week after losing to the Hurricanes in golden point, it looked like more heartbreak was around the corner.
Then, ten months after holding out the Chiefs across the ditch to confine them to their only loss during the regular competition, the Reds did it again.
Despite looking like going the length of the field, the Reds, led by Fraser McReight and his back-row partner Harry Wilson, managed to hold out last year’s runners up for 23 phases to win 25-19.
The hero at the death was Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, who managed to get on the ball after Wilson and Ryan Smith’s tackle, as New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe pinged the Chiefs for not releasing.
At once the 17,000 strong fan base rose as one, as chants of ‘We are Red’ finally echoed throughout Suncorp Stadium.
“I’m over the moon,” co-captain Tate McDermott said.
“A bit of deja vu, it was the same story as last year when we had them.
“From where we were last week, we let go of that [match] at the end, and this week we held on. I’m so proud of the effort.”
The Queensland Reds celebrate victory over the Chiefs at Suncorp Stadium, on March 09, 2024, in Brisbane. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
The win puts the Reds on the map once again in Super Rugby.
While the Reds managed to bring back 42,000 fans when they took out the Super Rugby AU title in 2021 under Thorn, that was the exception not the norm.
Indeed, consistency and player development plagued the Reds for years in the post-Ewen McKenzie era.
On Saturday, hope returned.
“All four coaches, we were riding it pretty hard,” Kiss told Stan Sport.
“We’re not surprised. But that’s titanic in a way, isn’t it, to hold out the Chiefs?
“You could see the relief and the joy from the guys. I thought it was a tough match. It was probably fitting that it went down to that minute, it was pretty tight.”
Considered 10 point outsiders against the previously unbeaten Chiefs, few gave the Reds a chance after the New Zealanders smashed the Brumbies last week.
In addition, it came off the back of the Reds’ disappointment last week, where they let slip a golden chance by going down 38-33 to the Hurricanes in golden point.
In previous years the Reds would have dropped their bundle, particularly after losing three international players – Alex Hodgman (shoulder), Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia (both concussion – to injuries. Not now.
“The boys were gutted last week, but they didn’t lose themselves down a cul-de-sac of doom,” Kiss said.
“They just said, what can we focus on next? We took the week day-by-day and focussed on us.
“If you overfocus of the Chiefs I think you can hurt yourself. We just did a real good job on making sure we did the things we’re good at well.”
Asked what he had changed to help turn around the Reds so quickly, Kiss tried to temper expectation but said the group’s willingness to learn and grow was a factor.
“It’s only three games in,” he repeated. “We will stay grounded.
“A couple of people said we weren’t our best, but I did think we were the better team tonight.
“I guess it just shows their deep desire to want to be better and find out how far they can go in this competition. It’s two from three, we’ve just got to keep our heads.
“If I was to say one thing, the coaches I have brought in have been fantastic, the leadership of Wrongers [Liam Wright] and Tate has been unbelievable, we have a deep care and connection, and, if we stay focussed on those things, then things are possible.”