Queensland’s Reds needed a late penalty to earn a 31-34 Super rugby victory over Japan’s Sunwolves at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo.
The victory is the Reds first for 2019 and came after the Queenslanders delivered an exceptional second half performance in which they outscored their hosts by 29 points to 10.
The result moves the Reds off the bottom of the overall standings into 14th place above two-time champions the Chiefs.
The Sunwolves raced to a 21-5 lead at half time but allowed the Reds back into the match in the second half. The Reds took the lead with almost 15 minutes remaining but minutes later the Sunwolves scored their fourth try which – with the conversion – put them back into the lead.
The Reds drew level five minutes from full time when Tate McDermott pounced on a loose ball from a kick charge down.
Hamish Stewart missed the conversion which could have won the match but two minutes later the Reds were awarded a penalty and this time Stewart was successful with the boot and edged the Reds into the lead.
At half time the Reds looked to be headed for a fourth straight loss due to the 16 point deficit but coach Brad Thorn brought on replacements Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Harry Hoopert and Tate McDermott who turned the match into the visitors favour.
All three of the Reds replacements scored in the second half and Paenga-Amosa went over twice in the match. McDermott’s final try came after Harry Hockings charged down a Sunwolves clearance kick.
Earlier in the match the Sunwolves were the first to score and is the 12th minute Jamie Booth scored for the home side. Hayden Parker was on target throughout the match and his conversion was the first of four conversions in the match.
The Reds opened their scoring after 17 minutes when Liam Wright scored for the Queenslanders. Hamish Stewart missed the conversion and the Reds were unable to add to their score for the rest of the half.
The Sunwolves however added further tries by Rahboni Warren Vosayaco and Dan Pryor. Sunwolves winger Gerhard van den Heever and Pauliasi Manu both came close to scoring but either had a foot in touch or were short of the line.
The Reds made their intentions known early on but they were denied an early try when captain Samu Kerevi was held up over the line.
The Reds kept up the pressure and a steady flow of penalties coming from the scrum helped them keep the Sunwolves on the back-foot.
Between the 58th and 62nd minute the Reds scored twice by Paenga-Amosa and Hoopert and for the first time it looked like the Reds might sneak the win. Paenga-Amosa crossed for his second and Stewart’s conversion put the Reds into the lead for the first time in the 64th minute.
Keisuke Uchida brought the Sunwolves back into the match and Parker added the conversion to put the hosts back in front before McDermott and Stewart added scores for the Reds which won the contest.
Next week in Round 6 the Sunwolves host the Lions in Singapore while the Reds play the Brumbies at Suncorp stadium in Brisbane on Sunday.
Final Score Sunwolves 31 (21) Reds 34 (5)
Scorers
Sunwolves
Tries – J.Booth, R.Vosayaco, D.Pryor, K.Uchida,
Pen – H.Parker
Con – H.Parker 4
Drop –
Cards –
Reds
Tries -L.Wright, B. Paenga-Amosa 2, H. Hoopert, T.McDermott
Pen – H.Stewart
Con – H.Stewart 3
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant Ref 1:Shuhei Kubo
Assistant Ref 2:Aki Aso
TMO : Minoru Fuji
Teams
Sunwolves
15 Jason Emery , 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Sione Teaupa,, 12 Michael Little , 11 Hosea Saumaki,, 10 Hayden Parker , 9 Jamie Booth , 8 Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco, 7 Dan Pryor , 6 Ben Gunter, 5 Tom Rowe , 4 Uwe Helu , 3 Hiroshi Yamashita , 2 Atsushi Sakate , 1 Pauliasi Manu
Replacements : 16 Jaba Bregvadze , 17 Sam Prattley , 18 Asaeli Ai Valu, 19 James Moore, 20 Amanaki Mafi , 21 Keisuke Uchida, 22 Rikiya Matsuda , 23 Semisi Masirewa
Reds
15 Hamish Stewart , 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia , 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Duncan Paia’aua, 11 Sefanaia Naivalu, 10 Isaac Lucas , 9 Moses Sorovi , 8 Scott Higginbotham , 7 Liam Wright, 6 Angus Scott-Young , 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto , 4 Harry Hockings , 3 Ruan Smith , 2 Alex Mafi , 1 Jean-Pierre Smith
Replacements : 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa , 17 Harry Hoopert , 18 Feao Fotuaika, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Caleb Timu , 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Teti Tela , 23 Filipo Daugunu
