Waratahs 15
Queensland survived a torrid NSW scrummaging onslaught on Saturday night to break a seven-year interstate drought and put the Waratahs Super Rugby finals hopes on a knife-edge.
The Reds notched a franchise record seventh straight win with a tense 19-15 triumph in an old-fashioned arm wrestle where the visitors camped on the Queensland line for the bulk of the second half without breaking through.
Quade Cooper scored all the home side's points, including a brilliant 34th-minute solo try, for Queensland to end the Waratahs' seven-game Templeton Cup streak dating back to 2004.
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The Reds' (39) win keeps them on top of the competition table and gives them a 11-point lead over their NSW arch-rivals (28) atop the Australian conference.
Making the Waratahs' finals quest even tougher is the fact they will have to do it without in-form winger Drew Mitchell who suffered a dislocated ankle in a sickening first-half incident when he fell awkwardly chasing a Luke Burgess box kick.
In front of the biggest Australian crowd of the season, the Reds reserve front-row was forced to dig deep and pull them out of the mire at scrum-time countless times in the second half.
The Waratahs' experienced pack smashed the Reds in the first half but still couldn't prevent Cooper crossing for the only try of the match as stand-out half Will Genia brilliantly fed him the ball from a back-tracking scrum on halfway.
Cooper's dancing feet split the defence of Ryan Cross and Tom Kingston before stepping past good friend Kurtley Beale at fullback.
He celebrated the stunning solo effort with a double backflip in-goal to the delight of the 36,000-strong crowd and then iced the conversion for an 13-9 lead.
NSW forwards continued to demolish the Reds scrum after the break and put the Reds pack under immense pressure next to their line in the 51st minute.
Referee Ian Smith, who replaced an injured Steve Walsh (calf) at halftime, whistled two penalties to the Waratahs and also threatened a penalty try for the next indiscretion.
But reserve hooker James Hanson joined the fray and settled the Reds scrum, getting them out of jail on numerous occasions, but the home side were unable to clear the ball and were forced to defend for their lives in their own quarter.
Even when the Waratahs eventually claimed a try the television match official denied centre Tom Carter a five-pointer from a driving maul.
Eventually the Waratahs relented their scrummaging attack and shot for a penalty goal to close the score to 16-15 with 10 minutes left but the Reds closed out the match with Cooper kicking a 45m penalty.
It looked like it might be Queensland's night from the outset with Genia making a break from the first phase and then the Reds forwards counter-rucking to turn over the ball at the Waratahs' first breakdown but it was the visitors who grabbed a 9-3 lead at the half-hour mark.
Queensland Reds 19 (Quade Cooper try con 3 pens drop goal) bt NSW Waratahs 15 (Kurtley Beale 5 pens) at Suncorp Stadium. Referee: Jonathan White.
- AAP
