QR Reds v Blues Ballymore 6:30pm - 27/2/2010
18	Round 03	27

Auckland's Blues have spoiled the QR Reds return to Ballymore, claiming a thrilling 27-18 victory in wet and slippery conditions.

Down 20-18 with 15 minutes remaining, the Reds threw everything at their opponents, but some desperate defence by the Blues and a try in the final minute gave the New Zealanders a well deserved victory.

Despite steady rain 15,681 fans turned out to the ‘Back to Ballymore’ clash, the first game played at the spiritual home of Queensland Rugby since 2005.

Interim captain Will Genia gave his side the perfect start with a try in the opening minute, seeing the Reds go into the halftime break ahead 13-8. 

But two tries in the opening 10 minutes of the second period by Blues Anthony Boric and Alby Mathewson meant the Reds were fighting an uphill battle and although they spent plenty of time in the Blues half, weren’t able to crack their defence.

“Obviously we lifted the intensity and there was good energy right throughout the second half, but we have to start like that and maintain it right throughout the game,” Genia said.

“We were guilty of starting pretty poorly after that first try.  We didn’t control possession or play to the conditions and that showed in the end result.”

McKenzie said the Blues adapted to the conditions better and played a ‘smarter’ brand of rugby whereas the Reds struggled with the ‘basics’ in the wet and slippery conditions.

“It was a game of basics tonight and we made some fundamental errors.  It was enough to keep them at our end of the field and keep us under pressure,” McKenzie said.

“We were possibly slightly ambitious early but we tempered that.  There were probably some simpler options that we could have taken but we chose a more complicated route.

“We got some good return for that and made some great breaks late in the game.  We got pulled up three times I think in the second half only a matter of inches from scoring.”

The late inroads the Reds made came with a reshuffled backline as Rod Davies (possible facial fracture) and Wallaby Peter Hynes (possible fractured finger) both succumbed to injuries early in the second half.  Flyhalf Tim Walsh and wing Will Chambers were their replacements, meaning playmaker Quade Cooper was shifted to fullback.

McKenzie said Hynes and Davies were taken to Hospital at the conclusion of the game to determine the seriousness of their injuries.

Genia’s first try was against the run of play as he freakishly plucked the ball from the air following a Blues chip-kick before running 60 metres untouched.  That wasn’t the only time the 11 Test Wallaby showed a slick pair of hands in the treacherous conditions, with many of the Reds attacking raids coming after he cleaned up sloppy ball from the back of a ruck or lineout.

Cooper was the difference heading into the locker room for the first break as he kicked all three opportunities at goal as opposed to Blues flyhalf Stephen Brett, who managed just one penalty in an off night with the boot.

Despite showing plenty of defensive venom, the Reds let in a relatively soft try to outside centre Rene Ranger – the first try Queensland allowed in the opening half of a game this year – near the end of the period.

The only time the Reds broke down the Blues defence was thanks to a 15 metre driving maul from the forwards, finished off by standout performer Laurie Weeks, who also caused the Blues problems in the scrum.

While the Reds couldn’t capture another try, the Blues finished the game with a try to wing Rudi Wulf in the corner and a sideline conversion by replacement Lachie Munro, robbing the Reds of a bonus point they probably did enough to deserve.

Blues 27 (Rene Ranger, Anthony Boric, Alby Mathewson, Rudi Wulf tries, Stephen Brett, Lachie Munro cons, Brett pen) def QR Reds 18 (Will Genia, Laurie Weeks tries, Quade Cooper 2 pens, con). Crowd 15,681

Earlier in the day Townsville beat Darling Downs 25-22 in the Queensland Country Championships, while the Under 19 match between the two clubs ended in a 12-all draw.