The Queensland Reds have the Templeton Cup under lock-and-key again after a second half surge to quell the spirited NSW Waratahs.
The 13-all deadlock never turned into a tense finish because the Queenslanders put on the accelerator to win 32-20.
A heavy storm 30 minutes before kick-off at Suncorp Stadium made ball-handling tricky.
So what did we learn?
1 THE TUPOU FACTOR
What difference did the all-clear at the judiciary for Taniela Tupou have on this game? Well...how about it won the game for the Reds.
The giant prop was massive for his 66 minutes on the park. Even when the Reds were down to 14 men, Tupou was so strong in a seven-man scrum just before half-time that the Queenslanders won a scrum penalty.
He turned the game too with a typically strong surge close to the tryline for the dot down that broke the 13-all deadlock. Irreplaceable for the Reds.
2 REDS RESILIENCE
Not for the first time this season, the Reds had to dig deep when seriously outnumbered. The Waratahs had a 15-man on 13 advantage for 10 minutes and could only muster a 3-0 edge in that time.
That was the game right there. There was some excellent scrambling defence from the Reds and just not enough smarts from the Waratahs to capitalise.
Winger Josh Flook got a hand in to disrupt the dangerous attack.
Jordan Petaia made a super try saving tackle too.
Hanging tough is a great trait to have and the Reds will now relish the build-up to next Saturday night’s showdown with the undefeated Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium.
3 HERITAGE ROUND
No two players better summed up Heritage Round than Waratahs halfback Jack Grant and Reds hooker Josh Nasser.
Fathers James Grant and Brendan Nasser, both Wallabies, played in the 1986 interstate game in Brisbane across town at Ballymore.
Grant’s early hustle was rewarded with the opening try after an excellent passing rush in which winger Mark Nawaqanitawase had two touches.
Nasser was over the tryline himself but held up.
4 CARD-VILLE
There’s no room for big props just trying to stay up with the play and throwing a body towards a tackle to help out in defence.
Reds prop Dane Zander’s second-man-in tackle caught the head of Waratahs prop Ruan Smith with some left shoulder. World Rugby gives no latitude to accidental contact to the head.
Red card. Another groan went up at Suncorp Stadium.
The game in 2022 can be so frustrating because the Waratahs were playing 15 men on 13 soon after.
Is there a better way? Is the rugby league method better of putting players on report, keeping even playing numbers on the field and sorting out the mess at the judiciary midweek?
5 THE PETAIA EXPERIMENT
This has become a weekly update but it is worth it because Jordan Petaia’s progress at fullback is on the radar of Wallabies coach Dave Rennie.
First, the very good. Petaia flew across field to smash the flying Mark Nawaqanitawase into touch to save a try when the Reds were down to 13 men.
He’s a brilliant cover defender, far better than Israel Folau ever was.
On another occasion, he saved a situation at the back, grabbed the ball, tore across field and belted a kick 50m-plus downfield.
He gobbled four high kicks effortlessly.
Now the not so good. One bread-and-butter clearance from his own quarter skewed off the side of his boot into touch. Another up-and-under flew too far and the catcher was under no pressure.
We’ll say it again...Petaia is a quality footballer wearing No.15 and not yet a full-package fullback.
