The Queensland Reds have asserted themselves as genuine Super Rugby title contenders with a top-drawer 31-23 upset over defending champions the Chiefs in Hamilton.
Winger Rod Davies sparkled in a two-try return in his first start in a year but it was a complete team performance by the Reds for a four-tries-to-two win at Waikato Stadium.
The bonus-point win takes the jubilant Queenslanders to within two points of the pace-setting Brumbies (33) on the competition table and sets up an enticing top-of-the-table Brisbane clash next Saturday night.
The Reds displayed great physicality and composure to reproduce the form which took them to the 2011 title and inflict just the second home loss on the Chiefs in 14 months.
It again highlighted Queensland’s ability against Kiwi rivals, making it their 11th win from their past 12 matches against New Zealand sides.
“We think the Kiwi sides bring the best out of us,” proud captain James Horwill said after the highly entertaining clash.
But the Reds had to withstand a Chiefs charge in a nerve-wracking final 15 minutes, once centre Anthony Faingaa was sin-binned for a ruck infringement on their line.
Super-sub Patrick Osborne immediately crossed to slice the gap to eight points but the Chiefs were unable to get any closer thanks to some gutsy scrambling defence.
Halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper combined brilliantly to put the finishing touches on some great work by the Reds pack at the breakdown and off their lineout.
It was best highlighted when Cooper, who overcame an error-strewn opening, dummied his way past opposite number Aaron Cruden just after halftime for a 21-13 lead.
Genia then made the most of an incisive run by James Slipper, off a Cooper inside ball, with a perfect cut-out pass to an unmarked Davies on the wing for a 15-point advantage.
It was the Reds who came out of a gripping first-half narrowly ahead thanks to an early Davies intercept try and a near-unstoppable 11-man driving maul which ended with No.8 Jake Schatz bustling over.
In between, 50-gamer Cruden and fullback Gareth Anscombe combined superbly to put Bundee Aki over for the Chiefs’ opening try and a 10-7 lead midway through the half.
But it was Aki’s centre partner, Richard Kahui, who posed the most headaches for the Reds backline, smashing Ben Tapuai with one rib-rattler and creating three attacking raids.
Good Reds pressure and defence within their quarter, plus some scrappy handling, prevented more Chiefs points, although the home side’s scrum did cause Queensland problems.
