Reds v Waratahs R1

Winger Dom Shipperley scored a runaway try on the stroke of full-time to give Super Rugby champions Queensland Reds a remarkable victory over New South Wales Waratahs at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night.

Waratahs vs Reds

R1 - 25/02/12


The Waratahs looked to have the game won when South African recruit Sarel Pretorius scored with 13 minutes remaining, but Shipperley was the hero for the Reds when he dashed more than 60 metres to give the Reds an incredible 25-21 triumph.

NSW replacement halfback Brendan McKibbin had kicked the ball away with seconds left, enabling the Reds one last chance to shift the ball right and 20-year-old Shipperley dashed away to beat a last-ditch tackle from Bernard Foley before being swamped by his jubilant team-mates.

McKibbin box-kicked into the right corner attempting to close the game out, but the Waratahs gave the Reds just the room they needed to fight their way out of jail to prove the magic from last year is still alive.

NSW had scored the only two tries of the game up until that point and looked set for a hard-fought victory with several of their stars sidelined with injury.

Queensland fly-half Mike Harris booted six penalty goals from as many attempts as well as the final conversion and his faultless kicking performance proved the difference.

New Zealander Harris certainly didn't have the spark of the man he's deputising for at No.10, Quade Cooper, but his nerve under pressure saw the Reds succeed in their first baby step towards a title defence.

Despite Wycliff Palu's first-half try, NSW trailed 15-14 with thirteen minutes left on the clock before crafty No.9 Pretorius darted from close range and reached out to touch down and give the Waratahs a 21-15 lead.

Harris cut that back with a penalty shot shortly after and then Pretorius was replaced - bringing McKibbin into the action.

Daniel Halangahu's selection as NSW captain was questioned during the week but the 27-year-old led from the front with some incisive second-half runs and a good kicking game - but ultimately was left devastated at the death.

Wallabies stars Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell, Lachie Turner and Rocky Elsom were among the throng of injured Waratahs watching from the stands, but the home side overcame poor discipline to capitalise better than their opponents.

However in the end it wasn't enough and the pain of this defeat won't wash away easily.

Coach Michael Foley and skipper Halangahu defended the decision of McKibbin to kick at the death, Foley describing Queensland as "lucky".

"I saw our right winger see space down the right side of the field and he made an aggressive call, he saw the space open and he called for his nine to kick the ball there for him to chase it and try and score a try," Foley said.

"The benefit of hindsight is a great thing, if he had that time again, if we all had that time again, we'd probably do it a little bit differently but I certainly understood what he was trying to do.

"I never think (it's over) until the final whistle.

"I think they'd be feeling pretty lucky right now."

Reds coach Ewen McKenzie said his men never gave up and made their own luck.

"Well you've just got to keep going and that's what we did. We never thought we were out of it," he said.

"You need someone to stand up and in the end Shippers did the business.

"He's the fastest guy in the squad and he showed it and that got us the game.

"It's the way the game works. We know we got out of jail but you can only work with the scoreboard."Ben Horne


http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/su...-1226281516590

Go and watch the video if you haven't seen the try. awesome

How do i embed Fox videos?

Thought the Reds were profoundly lucky. I was sure they had piked it by taking that last penalty rather than going for the try, leaving them still three points behind and pinned in their own half. What on earth possessed the 'Tahs to kick the ball when in attack and with 30 seconds left on the clock...?

Maybe a little bit of luck, but lets not ignore the fact that the Waratahs were stupid in giving away 6 penalties within there own 50 which was subsequently punished.

I don't think it was luck. I think it was another stupid mistake by the tahs which the reds punished. Was happenning all night
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