Son of a gun Chilli Tonelli-Smith potted a nerveless penalty goal on full-time to grab a stunning comeback win for the Queensland Under-15s in Sydney today.
The high emotion from the young Reds was deserved after the 20-19 result over the NSW Waratahs because the only time they led the match was for the final few seconds after the kick went over.
The son of 1980s Wallaby Brian Smith has the same mop of blond hair on top that his father did when debuting for the Reds in his teens. In a strong, tricky wind, he nailed three-from-three in the second half. Each was a telling score.
The Reds were seemingly down for the count when staring at a 19-3 deficit and a 2-0 series tumble just after half-time. The momentum of the match was transformed even running into the wind.
Sending on fullback Tonelli-Smith, strong-running winger Jack Phinney and halfback Isaiah Nuku early in the second half made all the difference to the backline.
Flyhalf James Smith gave the side confidence by running back a kick and linking with winger Elijah Rauluni, whose dash down the right sideline was the Reds’ best attack of the game to that point.
Just minutes later, Harlem Faalafi was over after centre partner Billy Spicer slipped him a neat pass after making the play with a strong angled run.
The wind was so strong at Sydney's Forshaw Park that one Smith penalty kick to touch arced back and was grabbed by a soaring Rauluni.
Brisbane State High product Phinney made a big run down the left sideline when shedding two defenders. In a blink, Smith was feeding a pass to Spicer in space and the Nudgee College back scooted over from long range.
Down 19-17, everything was flowing for the emboldened Reds with a dominant scrum, the pinching of key lineouts, ball-carries of real intent and, crucially, holding the ball to pressure the Waratahs.
Lock Fraser Boakes was leading the way in the pack with a Player of the Match performance.
When a Waratahs forward was yellow-carded for a lifting tackle entering the final 10 minutes, the Reds seemingly had everything running their way.
The Reds earned a penalty so close to the uprights that it looked like someone might step up and pop it over as easily as a basketballer on the free-throw line.
The Reds took a tap penalty instead. Time ticked down as the tension grew with replacement forward Harry O’Hare and Faalafi both held up over the tryline.
When the Reds earned another penalty with time almost up, everyone from teammates to the water boy seemingly pointed at the posts. Tonelli-Smith did the rest.
“You can see how much it means to the boys. They are enjoying this one,” coach Sean Graham said of the bounceback after a 27-19 loss in Game One six days earlier.
“What we got off the bench was great. All three of our backline replacements were a handful.
“Those kicks at goal might have seemed relatively easy but none were with the wind making such a difference.
“Our good defence on our own tryline to hold out NSW just before half-time was a key moment because the boys were quite energised because of it at half-time.
“When we started holding onto the ball, running the ball back at the Waratahs and controlling the game, we were playing on our terms. That’s an excellent win for the boys.”
The two-match series finishes at 1-all.
Queensland Reds U15s 20
Tries: Billy Spicer, Harlem Faalafi
Conversions: Chilli Tonelli-Smith 2
Penalty goals: Chilli Tonelli-Smith, James Smith
Def
NSW WARATAHS U15s 19
Tries: Eduardo Garcia 2, Finn Hannon
Conversions: Wilson Ruthven 2
