The Queensland Reds twice held the lead in the second half only to be denied 40-31 in the Super Rugby Men’s Under 19s grand final by a resilient ACT Brumbies side.
The Reds led 31-26 with 15 minutes to play before conceding two converted tries to come up frustratingly short at Ballymore Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was an attritional, stop-start game, and the Reds were unable to repeat their efforts from earlier in the competition when they came out on the winning end of the match-up.
It was a tit-for-tat contest, with the nine-point margin at the end as big as it got all afternoon.
The Reds will rue a killer combination of reasons why they were unable to play with the freedom of the regular season; set piece stutters, handling errors and inconsistent decision-making. They simply were not clinical enough when presented with opportunities close to the Brumbies’ tryline.
Nothing should be taken away from a Brumbies side which deserved to win back-to-back titles or from a Reds team which has grown as the competition has progressed.
Jacob Ryan opened the scoring in the third minute for the Brumbies before the Reds hit back through hooker Finlay King’s ninth try of the competition,.
Powerful No.8 Vaiuta Latu used brute strength to score the Reds’ second just 14 minutes in.
Two Brumbies backs crossed before the interval – Silas Pilot and Malakye Enasio – to give ACT a 19-14 lead at half-time.
Outstanding flanker Tom Robinson got the Reds back in front 50 minutes in when his distinctive head tape could be spotted surging over the tryline from a rolling maul.
Enasio hit back immediately.
Replacement Reds halfback James Martens made a difference with his creative play.
It was a crazy few minutes, with a charge down by skipper Xavier Rubens for the Reds allowing winger Dominic Kallquist to hit back. Kallquist’s hands low down on the fly collected the ball in one motion as he plunged over.
The response from winger Samson Tuqiri gave the Brumbies a 33-31 lead with 15 minutes to go.
Despite the urgings of a strong crowd the Reds couldn’t maintain possession. The fight was always there as demonstrated by a Maddox Maclean try-saving tackle.
As the clock ticked down, Brumbies No.8 Beau Morrison sealed it with just over two minutes left.
For the Reds, it represented a disappointing end to a positive season, but it was a fantastic afternoon of rugby at Ballymore.
The future looks bright with the talent on display in the Super Rugby U16s and U19s ranks.
ACT BRUMBIES U19s 40
Tries: Enasio 2, Pilot, John, Morrison, Tuqiri
Conversions: McLachlan 4, Dillon
def
QUEENSLAND REDS U19s 31
Tries: King, Latu, Robinson, Kallquist
Conversions: McLaren 4
Penalty Goal: McLaren
