QUADE COOPER KICKED a winning penalty after the final siren to give the Queensland Reds a 16-15 Super Rugby win over Australian conference leaders ACT Brumbies in Brisbane this morning.
The Reds, playing at home for the last time this season, fought back from 15-6 down for much of the second half for only their fourth win of a miserable season.
In foggy, wet conditions, the Brumbies looked set to again dominate the Reds with a penalty try and a try to centre Kyle Godwin to lead by nine points up until eight minutes from full-time.
But a first Super Rugby try to youngster Hamish Stewart off a final ball from 36-year-old former Wallaby flanker George Smith gave the Reds renewed hope into the final minutes.
Karmichael Hunt kicked the Reds deep into the Brumbies’ territory and from a scrum win Queensland earned a penalty under the posts for Wallaby fly-half Cooper to kick the winning points.
Cooper’s goal-kicking heroics absolved him after he was culpable for letting the Brumbies skip out in front (at the minute mark of the above highlights).
The fly-half was tackled over his own try-line by Tom Banks but spilled the ball as he attempted to ground it, inviting Godwin to pounce on it when it eventually fell loose for an easy try in the 55th minute.
File photo. Photosport / Patrick Hamilton/INPHO
Photosport / Patrick Hamilton/INPHO / Patrick Hamilton/INPHO
Godwin’s try came shortly after George Smith was yellow-carded for collapsing a Brumbies rolling maul — the 14th time a Reds player has been sent to the sin bin this season — which resulted in the Brumbies’ penalty try.
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The loss was the Brumbies’ eighth of the season, yet they still have qualified for the Super Rugby finals as Australian conference champions, irrespective of the remaining results.
At the other end of the Aussie pecking order, the Western Force gave an impassioned case for retention in the Super Rugby competition with a 31-22 win over the Melbourne Rebels.
The match pitted the two teams on the ARU’s chopping block against each other and it was always going to be an emotional encounter with pride on the line.
Either the Force or Rebels were playing their penultimate match as both were already out of finals contention.
Following the SARU’s decision to axe the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, the ARU is expected to announce which Australian side will be cut shortly after the conclusion of the Super Rugby season.
The Rebels' Jonah Placid in action early this season. Photosport / Brendon Ratnayake/INPHO
Photosport / Brendon Ratnayake/INPHO / Brendon Ratnayake/INPHO
In a show of solidarity from two playing groups who understand exactly the uncertainty the other is facing, the Force and Rebels walked out together before the match to the tune of Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms.
However, once the game started any sympathy vanished.
Despite a double for flying Rebels winger Marika Korobeite, it was the Force who were the better side on the night, dominating territory for much of the game and running in four tries to three to claim their fifth win of the season.
The Rebels have just one win this year and paid the price for allowing two Force tries in quick succession early in the second half.
Korobeite’s two dashing runs enabled the Rebels to lead 15-14 at the break, despite Force tries to Bill Meakes and stand-in captain Adam Coleman.
The game turned early in the second half, when the Force surged in a 10-minute burst.
The home side was denied a try in the 44th minute when the video official spotted hooker Tatafa Polota-Nau’s knock-on after the Rebels’ Tom Banks lost the ball close to the try line.
In the 49th minute, Richard Hardwick spun over from close range after 12 phases as the Force took a 24-15 lead.
Just three minutes later, a long pass from Dane Haylett-Penny found a charging Chance Peni, who fended off a defender as the Force made it 31-15 in their favour.
Colby Fainga’a kept the Rebels in touch when he sliced through a gap for his first try in the 58th minute.
Reece Hodge had a long-range chance to drag his side back to within a converted try in the 69th minute, but pushed it just wide and that virtually spelled the end for the Rebels, as their frustration started to show and tempers flared.
The end of the match could have not been more contrasting to the start, with the two sides involved in a sideline melee after the final play. However, they soon came together again and formed a circle as injured Force skipper Matt Hodgson addressed the two playing groups.
For their final Super Rugby fixtures next weekend, the Rebels host the Jaguares on Friday while the Force are at home to the Waratahs on Saturday.
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Quade Cooper gifts the Brumbies a howler, but earned the last laugh with late penalty
QUADE COOPER KICKED a winning penalty after the final siren to give the Queensland Reds a 16-15 Super Rugby win over Australian conference leaders ACT Brumbies in Brisbane this morning.
The Reds, playing at home for the last time this season, fought back from 15-6 down for much of the second half for only their fourth win of a miserable season.
In foggy, wet conditions, the Brumbies looked set to again dominate the Reds with a penalty try and a try to centre Kyle Godwin to lead by nine points up until eight minutes from full-time.
But a first Super Rugby try to youngster Hamish Stewart off a final ball from 36-year-old former Wallaby flanker George Smith gave the Reds renewed hope into the final minutes.
Karmichael Hunt kicked the Reds deep into the Brumbies’ territory and from a scrum win Queensland earned a penalty under the posts for Wallaby fly-half Cooper to kick the winning points.
Cooper’s goal-kicking heroics absolved him after he was culpable for letting the Brumbies skip out in front (at the minute mark of the above highlights).
The fly-half was tackled over his own try-line by Tom Banks but spilled the ball as he attempted to ground it, inviting Godwin to pounce on it when it eventually fell loose for an easy try in the 55th minute.
Godwin’s try came shortly after George Smith was yellow-carded for collapsing a Brumbies rolling maul — the 14th time a Reds player has been sent to the sin bin this season — which resulted in the Brumbies’ penalty try.
The loss was the Brumbies’ eighth of the season, yet they still have qualified for the Super Rugby finals as Australian conference champions, irrespective of the remaining results.
At the other end of the Aussie pecking order, the Western Force gave an impassioned case for retention in the Super Rugby competition with a 31-22 win over the Melbourne Rebels.
The match pitted the two teams on the ARU’s chopping block against each other and it was always going to be an emotional encounter with pride on the line.
Either the Force or Rebels were playing their penultimate match as both were already out of finals contention.
Following the SARU’s decision to axe the Cheetahs and Southern Kings, the ARU is expected to announce which Australian side will be cut shortly after the conclusion of the Super Rugby season.
In a show of solidarity from two playing groups who understand exactly the uncertainty the other is facing, the Force and Rebels walked out together before the match to the tune of Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms.
However, once the game started any sympathy vanished.
Despite a double for flying Rebels winger Marika Korobeite, it was the Force who were the better side on the night, dominating territory for much of the game and running in four tries to three to claim their fifth win of the season.
The Rebels have just one win this year and paid the price for allowing two Force tries in quick succession early in the second half.
Korobeite’s two dashing runs enabled the Rebels to lead 15-14 at the break, despite Force tries to Bill Meakes and stand-in captain Adam Coleman.
The game turned early in the second half, when the Force surged in a 10-minute burst.
The home side was denied a try in the 44th minute when the video official spotted hooker Tatafa Polota-Nau’s knock-on after the Rebels’ Tom Banks lost the ball close to the try line.
In the 49th minute, Richard Hardwick spun over from close range after 12 phases as the Force took a 24-15 lead.
Just three minutes later, a long pass from Dane Haylett-Penny found a charging Chance Peni, who fended off a defender as the Force made it 31-15 in their favour.
Colby Fainga’a kept the Rebels in touch when he sliced through a gap for his first try in the 58th minute.
Reece Hodge had a long-range chance to drag his side back to within a converted try in the 69th minute, but pushed it just wide and that virtually spelled the end for the Rebels, as their frustration started to show and tempers flared.
The end of the match could have not been more contrasting to the start, with the two sides involved in a sideline melee after the final play. However, they soon came together again and formed a circle as injured Force skipper Matt Hodgson addressed the two playing groups.
For their final Super Rugby fixtures next weekend, the Rebels host the Jaguares on Friday while the Force are at home to the Waratahs on Saturday.
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