The Queensland Reds next take on the ACT Brumbies in the first Super Rugby AU final next weekend after they outlasted the Melbourne Rebels 25-13 in a tight playoff contest at Lang Park in Brisbane on Saturday.
An early Jordan Petaia intercept try and second-half efforts from Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Filipo Daugunu, along with 10 points from the boot of James O’Connor, proved enough to earn the Reds a trip to Canberra for the title decider on Saturday.
“It’s awesome,” Reds captain Liam Wright said. “We’ve given ourselves a chance, which is all we wanted from tonight.”
Photo: AFP
The Rebels again struggled to turn possession into points against a rugged Reds defense.
They were level at 10-10 at the break after Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete picked the ball up at a ruck and raced away for an opportunistic try on the stroke of halftime.
They lacked nothing in effort in their first Super Rugby playoff, but could not get near enough to the try line as they chased the game in the last 20 minutes.
But for winger Andrew Kellaway just grazing the touchline, the Rebels would have opened the scoring in the seventh minute from a Matt To’omua cross-kick.
However, a minute later, center Petaia was racing 60m to score for the Reds after he stepped up to pick off a To’omua pass aimed at center Billy Meakes.
The Reds hit the front for good four minutes after the break when lock Salakaia-Loto crossed after good work on the left flank by back Hunter Paisami and Daugunu.
Winger Daugunu, who has had an outstanding campaign, applied the coup de grace five minutes from time after a burst up the middle from prop Taniela Tupou.
“We had our opportunities, but didn’t take them,” Rebels skipper Dane Haylett-Petty said. “I’m really proud of all the boys, for 12 weeks they’ve fought it out, stuck at it and been really resilient.”
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