Queensland Reds captain Fraser McReight has refused to blame a controversial no-try decision as the reason for his side’s 31-21 loss to the Chiefs, a decision that leaves their home finals hopes on a knife’s edge.
After the half-time whistle, the Reds attacked at Suncorp Stadium through their forward line, with Seru Uru making a desperate attempt to get to the line.
The referee decided Ur was stopped, but controversy ensued when the TMO appeared to have only one view before upholding the on-field decision. As soon as the whistle blew, visions from behind the game appeared on Suncorp Stadium’s big screen of the Queensland lock finding the grass.
It led former Wallaby Morgan Turinui to call the process “impatient” in Stan Sport commentary.
“We want the game to be accelerated, (but) that’s not a game, it’s a break. That’s an important decision that has big consequences for this game, the level, the whole competition, and that’s an easy decision that they should have made,” Turinui said.
“They only had one view, that’s the thing, they only looked at one angle. You could see the ball slide over the white line,” fellow commentator and Australian Rugby 7s Olympic gold medalist Alicia Lucas added.
Had Uru’s effort been awarded, Msimbazi’s Reds would have led at half-time – instead falling behind to a penalty goal after a try swapped between Queensland winger Lachie Anderson in his first game back from a sprained arm and Kiwi No.8 Wallace Sititi.
Reds coach Les Kiss was surprised when he was informed in his press conference after the game that only one corner had been considered. “I didn’t see it because we were going down the elevator, but they definitely went through every corner,” he said.
Kiss team-mate Jono Gibbes said he was in the same boat as Kiss and did not see the replay, but suggested the desire not to slow down the game by reviewing footage was agreed at the start of the campaign.
“It looked pretty good to me, so we headed to the elevator and we didn’t see how it all turned out,” Gibbes said.
“It’s a good difference, things like that, but I was asked at the start of the year about what all the competitions are trying to do around TMO interventions and keeping the game going and supporting the threes on the pitch.
“I think if we continue in that spirit, that’s what we all signed up for, so I think overall everything has been done the right way this year.”
It was just one of many moments that sent the crowd into a frenzy, as the Reds found themselves on the receiving end of a penalty 12-5.
After rookie Reds flyer Treyvon Pritchard latched on to a long pass from Carter Gordon and pointed to All Blacks star Damien McKenzie to score to bring them within three points inside the final five minutes, the whistle blew them again.
Josh Flook was penalized for going into the side of the ruck. However, analysts insisted that the first foul should have been given to Chiefs quarterback Luke Jacobson for being off his feet.
Queensland – trailing in third place on 11 points – will need to win their last three games against the Force, Drua and Moana Pasifika to qualify for a home final, relying on the Chiefs and Hurricanes to each beat the Blues and Crusaders to deny them the bonus points.
But McReight insisted that those decisions did not determine the outcome of the competition, believing his side were at fault for being in that position. The Reds lost three linebackers, missing 32 tackles to the Chiefs’ eight, while their Kiwi rivals won eight times to the hosts’ four.
“It’s tough, I think regardless in those positions I think we, as players, can take better ownership of that to understand the environment,” McReight said.
“We really don’t want to be held there – take it out of the representative’s hands. Obviously, he (Uru) says he put it down, but it’s another way of looking at it. Just take it out.”
The Reds had a good chance to avenge the no-try in the first game, but the Chiefs forced a turnover in their own line. The New Zealanders worked back at the other end to allow their powerful forwards to work – a well-timed mul allowing Samisoni Taukei’aho to widen the margin.
It took a wonderful pass from Gordon – returning from a knee injury with half an hour remaining – to open up Harry Wilson on the wing to put the Reds back in the hunt, with Gordon finishing the game with one of the man’s dismissals of the year.
The Wallabies captain flicked a no-look pass over his shoulder as he made contact with Joe Brial, who stepped out to score. It was a moment of joy that was, ultimately, short-lived, with Jeffery Toomaga-Allen yellow carded for an illegal tackle on Taukei’aho crossing for his second attempt in similar fashion to the first.
“We knew this was going to be a tough, tough fight. We knew there were going to be more opportunities as the game went on, so Carter came in and helped create that opportunity,” Kiss said.
“We probably missed a couple of shots too to tell you the truth, but the guys continued to work on that shape and create opportunities for Carter and his teammates to work with.”
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