'We defended like a pack of dogs': Tate leads Reds to stunning win after Thorn's huge call ends 10 years of pain

Brad Thorn’s ballsy “bomb squad” move and Tate McDermott’s brilliance at the scrum base helped the Reds to a drought-breaking and famous 25-22 win over the table-topping Chiefs in New Plymouth on Friday night.

The Reds showed immense character to grab the win, edging ahead for the final time in the 77th minute just moments after the Chiefs had levelled, and then hanging on as the Chiefs looked certain to break the Reds hearts at the death.

The game ended after 84 minutes when the Chiefs’ Tyrone Thompson was held up on the 27th phase after some simply heroic Reds defence. The players jumped for joy and screamed when the magnitude of their rearguard action sunk in.

The Reds had lost 13 of their past 14 games against New Zealand opposition – the only win in that span coming against the Chiefs in Townsville in round three, 2021 and it was their first win against a Kiwi team on NZ soil since 2013.

The Chiefs came in having won all 10 so far this season and 14 of their past 15 games. They will stay top of the table regardless of other results this weekend, but Queensland moved to a 5-6 record and above the Waratahs – for 26 hours at least – into sixth on the table.

Both teams made several changes – 10 for the Chiefs and eight for the Reds – but Chiefs were expected by many judges to blow away the Reds early and march on from there. It took a performance of lung destroying resistance from the Reds, with McDermott showing he’ll do anything to hang onto his Wallabies No.9 jersey after being snubbed by Eddie Jones for the coach’s first Wallabies camp.

Tate McDermott of the Reds passes the ball during the round 12 Super Rugby Pacific match between Chiefs and Queensland Reds at Yarrow Stadium, on May 12, 2023, in New Plymouth, New Zealand. (Photo by Andy Jackson/Getty Images)

“It gives us new life. We’ve always just lacked the polish, discipline’s been an Achilles heel and tonight we put it away and defended like a pack of dogs,” said the Reds captain. “We turned up for each other, that’s all I can ask from this group.”

Thorn said he was “super proud. We came from Townsville very disappointed with the Waratahs game. I know the Chiefs had players missing but we did too.”

It was a tactical masterclass from Thorn, who will leave the team at the end of the season.

“You’ve got your game plan, you have to be clinical, stay in that kick battle. We knew they’d be dangerous from minute one to the 80 but it’s about loving the fight.”

The start was frantic and ominous, as Chiefs winger Etene Nanai-Seturo strolled over untroubled for the first of his two first half tries inside six minutes.

The Reds, not for the last time in the game, put the pressure right back on.

McDermott got within centimetres but retained his composure to see prop George Blake, in for Matt Faessler, drive over.

It should have been a simple conversion for Lawson Creighton but the ball toppled off the kicking tee as he started his run up – a bizarre moment that resulted in a Chiefs player scooting forward to claim the loose ball and two gimme points squandered.

The Reds were struggling in the scrum and from the lineout – Richie Asiata’s throwing was atrocious – and Thorn, clearly exasperated, removed the entire front row just two minutes before halftime.

Most were expecting a procession to the Chiefs but with 20 minutes gone it was clear a competitive match had broken out, with some exciting endeavour from both sides, with the Reds giving as good as they got.

James O’Connor was turning back the clock at No.12, although for all his intelligent play his pace was found wanting when set free down the right wing on 34 minutes. He got his pass way to Campbell but the Chiefs survived and then hit the front soon after through a stroke of good fortune.

Nanai-Seturo got to a loose ball and kicked it forward. By the time he scooped it up there was no one in sight and his second five pointer was as nonchalant as his first.

“That’s an absolute shame for the Reds, one miss pass that hits the deck and the Chiefs just pounce. Both teams are absolutely spent,” said former NZ sevens star Karl Te Nana in commentary.

But the Reds weren’t spent and kept coming. Thorn dragged his starting front row and almost immediately Faessler nailed a lineout throw. From the driving maul McDermott left the defence in tangles with a cheeky dummy to cross over.

“He’s a special player, he’s been everywhere this first 40 minutes – that’s a massive dummy,” Te Nana gushed.

McDermott was instrumental again as the Reds hit the lead a couple of minutes into the second half. His long pass from under the posts as the Reds looked for a crack found Campbell out wide and the No.15 plonked down for a 17-12 lead.

Damian McKenzie cut the deficit to two with a penalty but it was the Reds who claimed the next try.

Successive penalties inside the Chiefs’ danger zone saw some composed buildup before Zane Nonggorr scored the first try of his Super Rugby career. Tom Lynagh, on for Creighton, missed the conversion.

It looked like the missed attempts might haunt the Reds when Samipeni Finau crossed over after a puzzling scrum call from Paul Williams, but the Reds had one last effort. From the restart Fraser McReight chased down the kick and won back the ball.

The Reds gained a penalty and Lynagh held his nerve to slot home his kick with three minutes left.

The Chiefs erred from the restart, taking out Filipo Daugunu in the air and that should have been in it. But Faessler mucked up his lineout throw and it led to a crazy final act.

The Chiefs roared forward under several penalty advantages and looked certain to score on a few occasions. Somehow the Reds found a way to survive.

Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan gave full credit to the Reds.

“It’s a massive effort to from Townsville, back to Brisbane and over to New Zealand,” he said. “They looked like a desperate side – and more desperate than us tonight.”