Strike weapon Digby Ioane declared the Queensland Reds were back, and on a roll, after an epic 42-27 Super Rugby comeback win ended the Chiefs’ nine-match winning streak on Sunday.
The Jekyll-and-Hyde Reds ominously returned to their entertaining best with a withering second-half display at Suncorp Stadium to knock the Chiefs off the top of the table.
The defending champions, who went into the match lagging in 11th spot, looked down and out at 22-8 before halftime with Aaron Cruden and Sonny Bill Williams cutting their defence to ribbons.
But inspired by halfback Will Genia and ball-pilfering flanker Liam Gill, Queensland produced a four-try blitz in 12 minutes to turn the afternoon special on its head to the delight of an Australian season-high crowd of 36,479.
Genia produced the highlight, repeating his efforts from last year’s final by scoring a solo 60m try where he beat four defenders, outsprinting winger Lelia Masaga on the way, to score in the same spot as his match-winner against the Crusaders.
“The Reds are back, back on a roll,” Ioane enthused afterwards.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie admitted as much too as he felt ninth-placed Queensland, five points off sixth, would be a major factor if they made the play-offs.
The turning point for the match – and probably the Reds’ campaign – came in the 40th minute when skipper James Horwill spurned a penalty attempt from in front of the posts and was rewarded when five-eighth Ben Lucas dived over out wide.
Mike Harris, who finished with six from seven in a 17-point haul, slotted the conversion and the home side went into the sheds just seven points behind after being dominated for much of the half.
“It was a brave move to take the tap and go,” Genia said. “We just backed ourselves.
“The feeling around the group is back where we want it to be and where we were last year.”
The comeback ramped up on the restart when Rob Simmons claimed the kick-off and a 40m series of pick-and-drives ended with No.8 Scott Higginbotham barging over.
“They (the Chiefs) probably score 40 per cent of tries from the pick-and-drive and sometimes it’s good to fight fire with fire,” Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said.
Genia and replacement hooker Saia Faingaa then crossed, and with Harris kicking them from either sideline, and then following up with a drop goal, the Reds were clear.
But Queensland were lucky not to lose fullback Luke Morahan to the sin bin after a tip-tackle on Williams that was put on report, before he made two crucial try-saving tackles.
All up there were seven tries in 21 minutes either side of halftime after Cruden started the spree by putting Williams over at the half-hour mark, and running amok with some sevens-like rugby.
“It’s like playing an octopus, they were running everywhere,” McKenzie said.
“They’re very good at changing the angles and keeping the ball alive.”
The Chiefs suffered a double blow with luckless All Blacks three-quarter Richard Kahui suffering a season-ending shoulder dislocation.
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