The Queensland Reds today won a 36-26 decision over Japan's Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights in a free-flowing spectacle at Ballymore Stadium.
The scores were locked at 19-all early in the second half before 18-year-old schoolboy Treyvon Pritchard scored the tie-breaking try on his Reds debut.
By coincidence, the Australia Under-18 star could have slotted into the pre-game honour guard that ushered the players of both sides onto the field because it was made up of boys from his Churchie school.
The nine-try afternoon brought cheers from the crowd of more than 2000 as the Reds held onto the Saitama Queensland Shield for a fourth straight year. The match was the high point of a day that included Japanese food and craft stalls and drum-beating cultural performances.
The scores would have been closer again but for a superb trysaving tackle in the corner in the closing minutes by replacement winger Xavier Rubens, who impressed again.
The Wild Knights did some soul searching after the 59-19 loss to the Reds in Toowoomba a week earlier and hit the start of this full-cap game with far greater intensity.
After repelling the Reds on their own line, fullback Tom Parton scored the opening try for the Japanese club on a quick relay out wide.
The Reds had just gone down to 14 men with winger Lachie Anderson having been yellow carded. He'd stopped Wild Knights finisher Marika Koroibete just metres from the tryline, got to his feet and was contesting for the ball when carded.
Reds halfback James Martens had an accomplished game.
At the 24-minute mark, he fed a pinpoint pass to centre Dre Pakeho for the equalising try at 7-all.
Shortly after, a clever little pump fake and pass in close from Martens found Anderson hustling for work close to the ruck. He bumped and twisted his way over as the highlight of his strong game.
Vaiuta Latu produced a try on his Reds debut when a big scrum drove to the tryline and he grounded it from No.8 at the back.
Full credit to the Wild Knights. They trailed 19-7 but tries either side of half-time pulled the scores back to 19-all after 43 minutes.
The speed and precision of passing across the backline from the Wild Knights produced a fine try for Kiwi flanker Lachie Boshier in the corner to tie the scores.
The deadlock was broken by the 18-year-old Pritchard. He showed excellent timing in support to loom outside Pakeho who popped a fine pass to put the Churchie product over.
The margin widened to 33-19 midway through the second half when flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips handled twice in a raid that put hooker Theo Fourie into space. The hooker's slick pass infield put Martens over for a try and added to a strong scrummaging and physical performance.
Off the bench, lock Jack Brady, flanker-hooker Zac Hough, halfback Graham Urquhart, prop Harrison Usher and flyhalf Finn Mackay also made Reds debuts in the second half after Latu and Pritchard had done so as starters.
Reds co-captain Seru Uru was named the XXXX Player of the Match for his influential display.
QUEENSLAND REDS 36
Tries: Dre Pakeho, Lachie Anderson, Vaiuta Latu, Treyvon Pritchard, James Martens
Conversions: Harry McLaughlin-Phillips 4
Penalty Goal: Finn Mackay
Def
SAITAMA PANASONIC WILD KNIGHTS
Tries: Tom Parton, Takuya Yamasawa, Lachie Boshier, Koki Takeyam
Conversions: Takuya Yamasawa 3
Half-time: Reds 19-Wild Knights 14
Venue: Ballymore Stadium
