The Queensland Reds have held on through a 20 phase final charge from the Waratahs to claim a 27-26 win in the final match of Darren Coleman’s time at the Tahs.
As expected from a clash between the old rivals, it was a very lively dead-rubber – with NSW already assured of the wooden spoon and the Reds predestined for a quarterfinal against the Chiefs next week.
The Reds led 19-0 at halftime but went behind late in the game after three straight Tahs tries. Reds flyhalf Tom Lynagh knocked over a 48-metre penalty on 75 minutes to edge the visitors a point ahead before rookie Tahs flyhalf Jack Bowen shanked a shot to win it at the death, appearing to slip as he went to strike the ball.
“I knew I had it in me,” Lynagh said. “We shouldn’t have been in that position. We want to be a dominant team and win comfortably.”
Perhaps the Tahs had more motivation down the stretch, with several players bowing out on the club along with the luckless Coleman, who has suffered more close defeats than anyone deserves.
His counterpart Les Kiss suffered through the later stages but was bullish about their chances in New Zealand in next week’s knock out.
“You can pick that apart in a lot of ways. But we’ve got a final now. It’s another competition,” said Kiss. “We just need to focus on the things that we did do well. Let’s appreciate the fact that they did get their tails up and came at us. But we defended well.
Queensland Reds head coach Les Kiss. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
“We had to find a way to get that. And then Tommy steps up and puts that ball over. Very nice. Very nice.”
Kiss will need to eradicate the lapses that almost saw the Tahs snatch a strange win.
“The Chiefs will have their purple patch probably longer than them [NSW],”said Kiss.
“So, we’ve got to be able to defend like we did tonight.
“But let’s not back away from our game. If we get good ollisions and win some good quality ball, we know that we’ve got some danger there. But we’ve got to keep earning it for as long as we can.
“If we get 50 to 60 minutes of that type of footy [from the first half], we’re a chance. That’s all I can say.”
The end was cruel on Bowen. The 20-year-oldson of former Wallaby was impressive on starting debut and landed a pressure kick from the sideline just before his miss. He replaced Tane Edmed in the group this week, a player who also had some heartbreaking moments from the tee this season.
The Tahs had a chance to go 78 metres after the siren and strung together 20 phases before Queensland’s Fraser McReight ripped the ball away.
Jack Bowen of the Waratahs passes the ball during the Super Rugby Pacific match between NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds. (Photo by Pete Dovgan/Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Reds were off the mark sharpish and ran in three tries in the opening 20 minutes through Seru Uru, Tate McDermott and Josh Flook – three players who might find themselves wrapped in gold jerseys together later this season.
The Tahs will be grateful they won’t have to sit through a review of McDermott’s try next week – the complete absence of defence or determination summed up a woeful wooden spoon season.
They went to the sheds down 19-0 and Lalakai Foketi’s frustrated F-bomb dropped in his interview with Stan captured the sentiment of those Tahs fans who have, to their credit, stuck it out to the bitter end this season.
Vision showed Coleman giving his final halftime address as Tahs coach and they summoned up something for the coach and the fans right after the break.
“I had to have a swing mate, they were a bit flat,” Coleman said afterwards.
Jed Holloway strolled over for the Tahs five minutes after the break but the Reds restored their margin four minutes later when Hunter Paisami scored.
It looked a long way back for the Tahs but Bowen took over.
He crossed for the first of three unanswered tries and his sideline conversion of the third gave the Tahs a brief lead.
Lynagh missed a simple penalty attempt on 67 minutes and Langi Gleeson came up with a huge hit soon after. That forced a turnover that paved the way for Dylan Pietsch to bolt over.
Bowen’s ice cool kick put the Tahs up by three but the Reds went back in front on 73 minutes when Lynagh potted a penalty from 48 minutes.
The Tahs threatened though nine phases inside the Reds 22 before Mark Nawaqanitawase dropped the ball under pressure.
They got two more chances to bow out of the season with Bob Templeton Cup but the Reds survived to fight another day. They face the Chiefs in next week’s quarterfinals.