Playmaker Quade Cooper bagged a record 31 points as Queensland ended an 11-year Super 14 drought against the Crusaders with a stunning 41-20 upset at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
But the Reds uplifting four-tries-to-two victory was soured with the potentially season-ending knee injury to skipper James Horwill.
Wallabies lock Horwill was carried off midway through the second half with ligament damage after winger Digby Ioane crossed to give the home side a 27-6 lead.
While they were ahead by three converted tries, the game was far from in the bag as the Crusaders rallied with a try to halfback Andy Ellis after Reds lock Adam Byrnes was sin-binned.
But the seven-time champions momentum was stopped when a loose pass, one of dozens by the off-key visitors, saw Morgan Turinui pounce and put blazing winger Rod Davies away for his first Super 14 try and a 34-13 lead.
Cooper completed the bonus-point victory when he cheekily intercepted a pass by Ellis after the halfback had already knocked on.
It was his second try for the match and his personal haul of 31 points, which included an eight from 11 goalkicking display, eclipsed Elton Flatley’s (26) Queensland record for most points in a Super rugby match.
“It’s an awesome result and there was a lot of talk whether we could back up after last week so it’s nice to shut a few people up,” said Horwill, who feared he faces a long stint on the sidelines.
“It doesn’t look real good, I’ll have a scan but I think I might have done a few ligaments in my knee.”
Cooper and fellow Wallabies back Will Genia were superb for the Reds throughout, while debutant Jake Schatz stood up in a powerful back-row with Daniel Braid and Scott Higginbotham.
The last time Queensland beat the Crusaders was in 1999 and they had previously given up halftime leads in the Christchurch-based team’s last two visits to Brisbane.
The Crusaders, without rested All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw, shot themselves in the foot with poor handling on a muggy night, the first time they have conceded 40-plus points since the 2004 final loss to the Brumbies.
The Reds lacked the fire of last week’s first-half display against NSW but still took a 14-6 lead into halftime as Cooper pulled the strings expertly.
The early highlight was a scintillating team try by the home side, started and finished by maturing flyhalf Quade Cooper.
Cooper threatened throughout the first half with his deft inside passes and it was one to Morgan Turinui which sparked the 65m move that also saw fellow backs Rod Davies, Will Genia and Peter Hynes expertly play their parts.
The 34th-minute try came just as Crusaders prop Owen Franks was preparing to return from the sin-bin following a professional foul after Cooper was cut down metres short of the goal line.
Reds coach Ewen McKenzie was also pessimistic about Horwill’s chances of lining up in the Super 14 again this season, which would be a devastating blow to his young team.
“It looks like a pretty serious injury, we’re not talking about a one-week injury, it’s at the serious end and that obviously takes a fair bit of the gloss from the evening,” McKenzie said.
The new coach praised the combination of Genia, Cooper – who rated the best Reds win he’s been involved in – and Anthony Faingaa, highly impressive at inside centre, as the Reds arrowed through the middle of the Crusaders.
But McKenzie admitted he was nervous after Ellis’s try against his 14-man outfit.
Crusaders counterpart Todd Blackadder praised the Reds physical, ball-in-hand game but felt the match was there for the taking before Davies’ try against the run of play.
“We gave ourselves an opportunity and the tide was turning, but then it was gone,” he said.
Blackadder lamented his side’s ill-discipline in defence, which led to Cooper’s five penalty goals, poor tackling and dreadful handling.
“We didn’t have a great night and usually we’re a lot better than that,” he said.
“When we had the ball in hand it was very un-Crusader like and we were just trying to force the pass.”
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February 20th 2010 @ 8:27am
CraigB said | February 20th 2010 @ 8:27am | Report comment
Great game by the reds, but you will be waiting a while to see the Crusaders play that poorly again. The Reds have found their new Talisman in Genia. That man just drags the team up to his level. He showed his wares last year with the Wallabies, but has gone up at least 2 rungs in quality so far this year. He is composed, direct, efficient and gets players involved when they can do the most good. Cooper should be buying him lunch everyday, because he is making his life so easy its ridiculous.
February 20th 2010 @ 8:32am
Blinky Bill of Bellingen said | February 20th 2010 @ 8:32am | Report comment
I’m so glad that I got to watch this game. Well done Queensland on another good performance. This time you got the biscuit.
While I don’t quite know what to make of that Crusader effort (so much coughed up ball), Queensland made them pay big time and as was said by Kearns “they did a ‘Crusader’ on the Crusaders”. Excellent! How many times do us supporters wish for spilled pill to be scooped up like that and actually make the other team pay on the score board. Queensland played Rugby exactly the way we like to see it. Yes a bit loose at times and it could have come unstuck but good hard Rugby and smart use of the ball. Again excellent!
Must say good work by the Qld forwards in pressuring the Crusaders in making so many unforced errors. Some lovely hits by Genia, sniping runs, limiting his box kicks (thank goodness). I have to admit against that error prone Auckland outfit, even Cooper looked good.
Ewen has them putting in the full 80 and looking like they wanted to go longer and he is using the bench well. Got to fix that lineout. The twin with the longer hair needs be throwing at practice long after everyone else has gone home. And Cooper, while playing very well in attack, needs to work on his D. It seemed clear to me that Ellis would try and score. Cooper should have taken him and left the ‘what if’ to someone else. Apart from defence he was very exciting to watch.
Here’s hoping James Horwill’s injury isn’t as bad as it appears. Anyone else think he looks like a potential Wallaby Skipper?
February 20th 2010 @ 9:21am
Brett McKay said | February 20th 2010 @ 9:21am | Report comment
likewise, I’m glad I tuned in just before halftime!! Turinui showed remarkable pace to get away from Davies’ try – and how quick is Davies?!? – and I was impressed with both Faingaas too. Well played Reds, a cracking win…
February 20th 2010 @ 11:20am
Who Needs Melon said | February 20th 2010 @ 11:20am | Report comment
Yes the thinner Faingaa at 12 was very impressive to my untrained eyes.
And if Davies keeps playing like that he might find himself in the Wallaby squad. I certainly prefer what I saw from him last night over what other aussie wingers have showed us recently.
February 20th 2010 @ 11:44am
tarpo said | February 20th 2010 @ 11:44am | Report comment
Talk about zero to hero, last year “Rod the Rocket” was just awful, his defense was at best emulating a speed bump.
Wonderful to see him transform himself, he is only a very young man, with what looks like a stella future in front of him.
Link deserves a lot of the kudos for the Reds rise, he has demanded their fitness levels have reached professional standards, knowing you have done the hard work gives you confidence that you can perform.
Also introducing them to a back coach, when I emailed the QRU last year asking who was the coach responsible for defense I received no reply, deduction: they didn’t have one.
They are now fit enough to make & keep making tackles & get up scoop up the T/O ball & run hard down the other end.
A glorious win for the Reds, may it continue.
February 20th 2010 @ 9:47am
warrenexpatinnz said | February 20th 2010 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Firstly I am a WF supporter, birth right, but like most Aussie rugby supporters it seems we have a soft spot for the Reds. Have seen glimpses of what they showed last night in previous years and last year their attack did show it was getting there but never a complete game, with their defence and discipline letting them down. Last night was a complete game against a very good side, yes the Crusaders were off slightly but good tackling and sustained pressure was the main catalyst for their poor game.
There are positives and some questions;
: two games in a row they showed they could follow a game plan without affecting the attacking flair
: Intensity stayed up even with Horwill off, a loss but won’t affect attack and lineouts were poor with Horwill in
: Is their attack better without Barnes and the Waratahs worse with (tomorrow’s game for the Tahs may show?)
: Ewen has always been a good coach but I suggest he is even better and will show, is showing the ARU and the NSWRU that the players ultimately must carry the can if the game plans aren’t followed and skill levels aren’t met on the day, see the Tahs
I think Blinky Bill has also hit on a very valid observation about how will McCaw go with the new break down rulings as players of his style, Thompson from the Highlanders who plays continually offside but not yet pinged; see last nights game between the Blues and three plain as day occasions! Keiran Read and Waldron unable to move away quickly enough, are they all just to big or a little slow to learn? with the new rulings suiting a more agile and smaller seven, and possibly eight, as in Pocock, Waugh, Braid and Hurricanes seven (can picture but not name)?
I know it is very early in the season and dare I mention Internationals but one of the ascendency areas the ABs had was the break down and McCaws dominance, winning that more often than not and they pushed to the letter of the law, now in two glaringly obvious examples, the Blues; penalised off the park in the first game and the Crusaders last night show that possibly the Kiwi sides (and the Tahs) may be more on the backfoot with this new and extremely positive change.
Finaly the yellow cards, about bloody time that refs dished these out and it won’t take long for the game to quicken up even further as players realise the impact of the infringing. Clean up the ‘fake’ injury breaks and we will start seeing up to 70 minutes of actual play. Enjoying my rugby so far, please may it continue.
Cheers
February 20th 2010 @ 11:39am
Even Looser said | February 20th 2010 @ 11:39am | Report comment
While I’m really enjoying the S14 interpretations, I do wonder what’s going to happen when it’s all over and we’re back to the Internationals. Are we having Nth Hempsphere refs at Tri Nation level? If so then we’re in trouble.
February 20th 2010 @ 2:23pm
warrenexpatinnz said | February 20th 2010 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
I think if we continue to see improvement in the quality of the games in the Super 14 and crowd numbers increase the IRB would be on a hiding to nothing if they didn’t embrace the very simple change that seems to have freed up the attacking side to actually attack with the ball.
Giving yellow cards early, if deserved in a match make the recidivists stop and think as further infringements by them would mean a red card.
February 20th 2010 @ 9:55am
Justin said | February 20th 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
I hope Barnes is watching Cooper in attack. He could certainly learn a thing or two about unlocking defences by taking the ball to the line, hitting the ball at pace, sleight of hand, mixing up his options. In short orchestrating running rugby and getting his backline to ask serious questions of the defence.
I hope Cooper is watching Barnes defence too. I think Cooper is better when he defends at 12 and doesnt have as many decoys. I think his decision making is a little suspect and he finds himself in a poor position to make tackle at times.
February 20th 2010 @ 11:49am
Even Looser said | February 20th 2010 @ 11:49am | Report comment
No question about it, Cooper was good last night. But let’s keep in mind that it was against opposition that was willing but often just not up to the task. Even in the case of Daniel Carter, there were only glimpses of him at his best. To the Red’s credit they generally managed to snuff out ‘the Carter Factor’.
February 20th 2010 @ 1:49pm
Chris K said | February 20th 2010 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
Haha Justin, “unlocking defences”
February 20th 2010 @ 2:14pm
Justin said | February 20th 2010 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
Not with you Chris???
February 20th 2010 @ 6:30pm
Chris K said | February 20th 2010 @ 6:30pm | Report comment
Think about it mate, what’s Cooper on trial for this June? And i’m sure the pun was unintended but I thought I should point it out anyway
February 20th 2010 @ 11:04am
Chris said | February 20th 2010 @ 11:04am | Report comment
Is it too early to start calling Genia the greatest scrumhalf ever? (Yes it probably is too early, I’m saying it anyway). He seems to be Gregan, Pichot, du Preez and van der Westhuizen rolled into one. If Burgess ever starts another Wallabies game (unless Genia is injured or rested) there is something seriously wrong.
February 20th 2010 @ 2:08pm
warrenexpatinnz said | February 20th 2010 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
Genia is a pearler, he has every skill required ticked at a level well above where he should be and coupled with a toughness you expect from a forward. Copped a slight head knock from a poor executed hip tackle so may mean he needs to watch his noggin a bit more, don’t want another Elton Flatley.
Genia makes limited mistakes and more importantly reads the game so well and it is all seemingly from pure natural instinct.
Burgess is possibly the second choice halfback but don’t be suprised if O’Connor adds this to his utility resume.
I am still smiling about the game last night, thoroughly enjoyed.
February 20th 2010 @ 11:16am
ohtani's jacket said | February 20th 2010 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Awesome result. Go Reds.
February 20th 2010 @ 12:10pm
Sth Auckland 1st XV said | February 20th 2010 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
First of all, my apologies to Ewen McKenzie, who I bagged before the season started, but on the two performances to date, he can take a huge bow.
This was the best performance by a Reds team for more than a decade. The backline – Cooper, Genia, Ioane, Davis, Turunui, Hines, Faingaa were all superb. Cooper was magical. His ability to take the ball to the line, the way he dances on twinkle-toes like Fred Astaire to put doubt in the mind of the defence – these kind of things conjure up images of the great Campese in my mind.
The forwards were tough, well-drilled and fit. The front row are a credit to themselves. The locks tough buggers and the loosies dangerous. My faith in Australian rugby is starting to come back!!
I’ve always had time for the Reds – the underdogs and under-achievers of the Super 14. I hope they can continue this on for their sakes and for the sake of their long-suffering fans.
February 20th 2010 @ 12:17pm
JF said | February 20th 2010 @ 12:17pm | Report comment
Can’t wait for next week – Ballymore will be pumping.
February 20th 2010 @ 12:47pm
captain nemo said | February 20th 2010 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
great to see the reds get the chocolates. bravo zulu to all concerned