The Queensland Reds have fallen 23-17 to the ACT Brumbies at Canberra’s GIO Stadium in Round 3 of Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific.
Momentum swung both ways over the 80-minutes, with the hosts racing to a 13-nil lead at half-time before the Reds fought back in the second-forty with a Jordan Petaia double cutting the Queensland deficit to just six-points.
Harry Wilson scored Queensland’s third try, with the Reds securing a losing bonus-point as the Brumbies continued their unbeaten start to the season.
A Noah Lolesio penalty opened the scoring for the hosts in in what was a typically willing, back-and-forth first 10-minutes in Canberra.
With possession and field possession on their side, Brumbies skipper Nic White had the first try of the match in the 27th minute, the scrumhalf darting over from close range to give his side a 10-nil lead.
Lolesio’s second penalty kicked the score to 13-nil soon after, the Brumbies ahead at the break.
Queensland came out firing in the second-forty, Wilson barging over in the 46th minute to score his second try in as many weeks. James O’Connor converted to bring the score to 13-7.
A third Lolesio three-pointer extended the home side’s lead to 16-7 with half-an-hour to play, but Queensland hit back quickly with their second try in five-minutes. Petaia was the scorer, the fullback flying above the Brumbies defence to collect a deft O’Connor cross-field kick and score his third try of the season. O’Connor missed the tough conversion attempt, the Reds trailing by four-points with 28-minutes to play.
The Brumbies responded with a signature rolling-maul try to Lachlan Lonergan in the 55th minute, extending their lead to 23-12.
Queensland were held up over the line multiple times as momentum swung in the second-half, with Petaia eventually capitalising on the Reds’ glut of possession. The fullback scored courtesy of a pinpoint O’Connor long ball, with Petaia beating a number of defenders to cross the line out wide and complete his double. O’Connor’s missed conversion saw the hosts maintain a 23-17 lead with 10-minutes to play.
Queensland were unable to find points again, the Brumbies holding on in front of a crowd of 8,501 in the nation’s capital.
At GIO Stadium, Canberra on Saturday 11 March, 2023.
