SUPER 14: Queensland Reds snatch late draw in Ellis Park thriller

Rayno Benjamin of the Golden Lions charges for the line to score a try against the Queensland Reds in their Rugby Super 14 match at Ellis Park Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Saturday. PHOTO: EPA

Veteran Wallaby Chris Latham scored a last-minute try as Queensland Reds snatched a 24-24 draw with the Golden Lions in a Super 14 thriller on Saturday.

Multi-phase pressure by the visitors at a chilly, sparsely populated Ellis Park paid off when fullback Latham burst over near the posts and wing Clinton Schifcofske converted to secure two points.

It was a fair outcome to a lively, error-strewn match in which the Lions took a fifth-minute lead through a penalty from scrum-half Jano Vermaak and fell behind only once.

Seeking to avoid a fifth consecutive loss in the southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship, the Lions opened an 11-point advantage when wing Rayno Benjamin dived over midway through the second half.

But hooker Stephen Moore set up fellow front row replacement Rodney Blake for a pushover try soon after that left just four points between the teams.

A long range Jaco van Schalkwyk drop goal gave the Lions more breathing space only to be deprived of victory at the death by opponents who have garnered seven points from two outings after three losses in a row.

"We tended to sit back when 11 points ahead and paid the price. It was encouraging to score tries, but we gave away some soft ones," Lions skipper and flanker Ernst Joubert said.

Scrum-half Sam Cordingley, who succeeded loose forward John Roe as captain last week and led the Reds to a 40-8 triumph over defending champions Northern Bulls of South Africa, admitted there was still much room for improvement.

"There were too many turnovers and our ball retention was not good enough. I thought we did well in patches, but need to find more consistency to challenge for a place in the knockout phase," he said.