The Queensland Reds produced a five-try surge for their clearcut 35-15 victory over the NSW Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium tonight.
The Reds proudly held aloft the Bob Templeton Cup, the symbol of interstate supremacy, after delivering for an excellent crowd of 20,072.
Reds captain Tate McDermott saluted the turnout of fans for the big SMARTECH Super Rugby Pacific clash so soon after Cyclone Alfred had ripped through south-east Queensland.
“Playing for our family, friends and those who may have been affected by the cyclone really means something on a night like this at Suncorp Stadium,” McDermott said.
Emergency services personnel involved in the cyclone response were acknowledged in a guard of honour for the two teams when they ran out.
The Waratahs struck first for a 5-0 lead and took it to the Reds before a moment of individual brilliance from Reds fullback Heremaia Murray turned the tide.
Murray caught a kick inside his own quarter, took off and stabbed a left-foot kick into the open space left by Waratahs fullback Andrew Kellaway, who was in the sin bin.
Murray swooped on the bouncing ball and dashed over to complete an 80m strike in the 19th minute. It signalled the start of a 35-3 surge that swamped the visitors over the next 46 minutes.
Kellaway had been yellow carded on 14 minutes for a dangerous lifting tackle on Reds No.8 Harry Wilson.
Typically, Wilson had the response that mattered when a spinning pick-and-go bumped his way over for a try and 14-8 after 28 minutes.
The Reds were not headed from there.
Reds winger Lachie Anderson had made the point pre-game that the Reds “had different gears to play the game in different ways” and the proof came before half-time.
A well-won lineout became an unstoppable 20m rolling maul which generated a try to replacement hooker Richie Asiata and a 21-8 half-time lead.
Flanker Fraser McReight’s try after half-time extended the lead to 28-8 before lock Angus Blyth drove low and hard for the team’s fifth try.
Flyhalf Tom Lynagh had an accomplished night of game-control and he potted five-from-five as a goalkicker. Flanker Seru Uru, with his explosive package of skills, was another to stand out.
“I was really proud of how the team worked back into rhythm after the Waratahs came at us hard early and pushed us off kilter,” Reds coach Les Kiss said.
“We didn’t catastrophize it after the loss to the Crusaders last weekend. One game wasn’t going to throw us. That was critical for us because we just worked at improvements and we got them. It was a good game.”
McDermott said Wilson and Kellaway trading words as the Waratah headed to the sin bin was merely part of a bigger picture.
“It was a big moment but the whole game is emotional playing NSW,” McDermott said.
“Some of our goal-line defence was a bigger turning point to be honest.”
Three Australian teams sit in the top five of Super Rugby Pacific after five rounds with the Reds in third spot on 14 points.
The Reds will now prepare to fly to Dunedin to face the Highlanders next Saturday night.
QUEENSLAND REDS 35
Tries: Heremaia Murray, Harry Wilson, Richie Asiata, Fraser McReight, Angus Blyth
Conversions: Tom Lynagh 5
Defeated
NSW WARATAHS 15
Tries: Langi Gleeson, Triston Reilly
Conversion: Tane Edmed
Penalty Goal: Lawson Creighton
Half-time: Reds 21-Waratahs 8
Crowd: 20,072
Venue: Suncorp Stadium
