The Queensland Reds have defied another purple card to end the Brumbies’ unbeaten run and play at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific Ladder with their Australian rivals.
A 21-7 triumph ensured the hosts continued their seven-year unbeaten run towards Canberra at Suncorp Stadium. Full-back Jordan Petaia mixed brilliance with blunders while continuing his full-back training.
Victory came despite a 30th-minute purple card for backrower Tuaina Tualima when his cleanout hit James Slipper extremely, the Reds scoring decisively through Fraser McReight during the 20-minute break when they were one person down.
The Brumbies had been the crew to beat in Super Rugby Pacific.
Tualima, who only started when Liam Wright injured his ankle in warm-up, said goodbye to Dane Zander, who had seen purple a week earlier, while Taniela Tupou was cited for the same loss to the NSW Waratahs two weeks ago.
Brumbies backrower Rob Valetini and second Cam Clark, who scored the game’s first try, had each received second-half yellow cards for an excessive deal and an intentional knockdown.
Clark’s effort gave the Brumbies a 7-3 lead, but the Reds stayed in the game despite firm fumbling as there were scrum penalties and twice stopping the visitors’ mighty rolling maul on their line.
Petaia’s nighttime wobbled, the team made a clear breakthrough in the middle of the sector late in the first half but didn’t seek his help when a pursuit went begging.
Remaining concerned about the resumption, he jostled for and caught a James O’Connor bombshell, leading to McReight’s effort to turn the match around.
His kicks for contact were additionally secured and deep in a fourth consecutive look at the Wallabies training camp full-back the following week.
However, his performance was marred by a series of mishaps, a push that robbed a wide-open Filipo Daugunu of a safe try moments before the winger crossed for the eventual match-sealer in his 50th Super Rugby game.
McReight was among the biggest Reds, while Valetini was the Brumbies’ work sport’s main target and Nick Frost continued his robust 2022 style.
– Murray Wenceslaus
