Queensland Reds flyhalf James O’Connor kicked a late penalty to secure a 32-26 win and snap a seven-year losing streak to the New South Wales Waratahs as professional rugby returned to Australia yesterday after a three-month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Wallabies utility back struck in the 76th minute, giving the Reds victory after 11 successive defeats by their southern rivals and leaving home fans happy at the end of a scrappy display from both teams.
The first match of Australia’s domestic Super Rugby AU brought a modest crowd to Lang Park, with groups of fans spaced apart in the terraces to maintain social distancing.
Photo: AFP
They saw a willing, if error-strewn contest, as players struggled to shake off the rust from a long break following the suspension of the wider Super Rugby competition in March.
Law variations borrowed from rugby league to speed up the game ensured plenty of running rugby, as did ample handling errors, with a slew of counterattacks sparked by passes finding grass.
The Reds dominated early, surging to a 19-7 lead before the half-hour mark when scrumhalf Tate McDermott punished a dozy Waratahs defense by taking a quick tap and bounding over.
Penalties on either side of the break kept the Waratahs in touch and they charged in front when jet-heeled fullback Jack Maddocks galloped over after a superb inside pass from flanker Lachlan Swinton.
No. 8 Harry Wilson snatched back the lead for the Reds by diving over from 1m out, but hotheaded prop Taniela Tupou threatened to undo the good work when he was sent off for a second late charge in the 67th minute.
Waratahs flyhalf Will Harrison slotted a penalty from long range a minute later to level the score at 26-26.
However, his teammate Swinton strayed offside to allow O’Connor to boot the winner and the Wallaby garnished the victory with a second penalty kick after the siren.
“It was an awesome effort by the guys,” O’Connor said after the game.
“We dug deep and obviously winning it right at the end was amazing, but we were pretty scrappy ... there’s a lot to improve on,” he said.
“I’ve been working really hard on my kicking game since isolation... I’m happy to be kicking again,” he said.
New South Wales gave away 18 penalties to the Reds’ nine.
“I think discipline really let us down, it’s let us down all season,” Waratahs captain Rob Simmons said, referring to games they played in the wider Super Rugby tournament.
Additional reporting by AP
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