March 20 (Reuters) – The Queensland Reds overcame an
unexpectedly stiff challenge from the Melbourne Rebels to snatch
a narrow 11-6 victory and maintain their 100 percent winning
start to the Super Rugby season on Saturday.
At times it was difficult to tell which team were defending
champions and who took the wooden spoon last year as the Rebels
belied their underdog status with a battling performance of some
character in Brisbane.
Along with a much improved defensive display, the Rebels
dominated possession and field position for the first 50
minutes, even if they only had two James O’Connor penalties for
a 6-3 lead to show for it.
The Reds finally upped the tempo and got over the try line
through winger Dom Shipperley in the 55th minute after stealing
Rebels lineout ball, Will Genia showing great patience after the
first couple of surges were rebuffed.
The Wallaby scrumhalf showed less patience when he decided
to run two eminently kickable penalties over the next five
minutes only for the Rebels line to hold, but Mike Harris was
called up to convert a third and extend the lead to 11-6.
The scare was not over, however, and O’Connor kicked a
penalty to touch deep into the Reds’ 22 with three minutes
remaining only for replacement home flanker Beau Robinson to
snare the lineout ball.
“It shows we’ve come a long way that we’re disappointed with
that,” said Rebels captain Gareth Delve. “To push the champions
so far in their own stadium shows we’re going in the right
direction.”
Harris, standing in for the injured Quade Cooper, had missed
his first place kick of the season in the first half after 16
successful attempts in the first two victories and missed his
third of the night with a long-range effort as time ran out.
“We knew they’d play well,” said Reds skipper James Horwill
after a third victory of the season. “In the end we’ve just got
to keep winning, we keep saying that week to week.”
Continued…
