A brave Queensland Reds outfit has fallen 29-20 to the Chiefs to bring an end to their 2023 Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific.
In what was a courageous performance at FMG Stadium, Queensland led the minor premiers with 10-minutes to play before a late try saw the Chiefs hold on in Hamilton.
Suliasi Vunivalu scored a double, while the valiant performance was a fitting end to Brad Thorn’s six-year tenure as Queensland head coach.
Thorn’s 94 games in the role sees him finish as the Reds’ second most capped coach in the professional arena.
Queensland started strong, a Josh Flook 50-22 propelling the Reds into attacking range to open the scoring. It was Vunivalu who found the line, a James O’Connor long ball sending the Fijian flyer over out wide for his sixth try of 2023.
Three Damian McKenzie penalties in 12-minutes saw the home side take a 9-5 lead at the half-hour mark, before a Harry Wilson try meant the Reds regained their lead with five-minutes to play in the opening-forty. Wilson clawed his way over the line from close range to give his side a 10-9 advantage.
A stunning try to Chiefs winger Emoni Naraw and McKenzie conversion saw the hosts seize a 16-10 lead on the stroke of half-time.
McKenzie’s fourth penalty put the Chiefs into a nine-point lead early in the second stanza, before Tom Lynagh responded with a three-pointer of his own to bring the score to 19-13 in the 51st minute.
Vunivalu had his second in the 60th minute, the winger diving over from close range after a centimetre-perfect Lynagh 50-22 put Queensland on the attack. The young flyhalf slotted the conversion from the sideline to put Queensland into a 20-19 lead with 20-minutes to play.
A fifth McKenzie penalty saw the Chiefs regain a slender two-point lead with 10-minutes to play, before a try to Pita Gus Sowakula put the hosts into an unassailable 29-20 lead with four-minutes on the clock.
At FMG Stadium, Waikato on Saturday 10 June, 2023.
