REDS PAY PENALTY
Jaguares seal comeback win
RUGBY UNION: The frustrating Queensland Reds are still stuck on the launch pad as Super Rugby’s 60-minute men after blowing a 17-point lead in Buenos Aires.
A sparkling four-try first half had hinted at a stunning upset before they were overrun 43-27 by a supercharged Jaguares comeback on yesterday.
Instead of smiles, skipper Liam Wright’s team will haul only weary bodies home to Brisbane on the ninth flight of a taxing 33,000km round-the-world trip to start the season.
The Reds still led 27-22 when Wright was sin-binned for repeated team infringements at the 62-minute mark.
In the 10 minutes he was off, the Jaguares rumbled for three tries and the game was gone.
The Reds are still 0-3 despite the positive first-half moments in Buenos Aires, belting the Lions scrum in Johannesburg and rallying against the Brumbies in Canberra.
If those matches had been called off at the hour mark, the Reds would have grabbed a 17all draw against the Brumbies, a 20-17 result over the Lions and a 27-22 win over the Jaguares.
Being savvy enough and disciplined enough to close out tight games is still beyond them.
Coach Brad Thorn’s mood was lightened because the Reds did produce their best rugby of the season to jump to a 24-7 lead just before halftime.
James O’Connor looked at home at flyhalf and produced a lovely right-foot step and onehanded off-load to put halfback Tate McDermott over after a lengthy build-up.
New fullback Jock Campbell joined the backline twice to be a key link in tries and Chris Feauai-Sautia made his 101kg count with a strong two-try return on the wing.
“In the first two games, we were probably our own worst enemy at the wrong times but in this one the guys played outstandingly well and there was a lot to like,” Thorn said.
“A penalty count like that (13-3) is a tough one to contend with. Frustrating.
“We dropped our first three as well last year but by mid-season we were (nearly) back equal at the top of the conference.
“We’re not fazed but we have 13 rounds to apply ourselves and keep improving things like our maul defence (after four Jaguares’ tries from lineout drives).”
New centre Hunter Paisami made 11 strong runs for 71m as a fine replacement for injured Jordan Petaia and was a worthy ‘players’ player of the match’.
Thorn zeroed in on one penalty in particular which any coach in the world would have disputed with Argentinian referee Federico Anselmi.
Dominant Reds tighthead prop Taniela Tupou buckled the opposition loosehead prop at a 5m scrum fed by the Jaguares at 27-22. Instead of rewarding Tupou’s superiority, Anselmi gave a dubious scrum penalty which got the Jaguares off the hook.
“That was the key moment ... we absolutely dominated and destroyed them and we got penalised which is hard to understand,” Thorn said.
Only back-to-back wins at Suncorp Stadium against the Sunwolves on Saturday night and the Sharks, a week later, can get the season back on track.