Wales survive Reds scare with morale-boosting victory
REPORT: Warren Gatland’s Welsh side ended one of the longest seasons in the history of the game with a morale-boosting 36-35 win over the Reds, ending their eight-match losing streak in 2024.
The first win of the year seemed to have been lost despite a 17-point second-half lead when a double from home wing Mac Grealy edged the Red in front with eight minutes to go.
But displaying outstanding character, Wales hit back to steal the win with a try from replacement scrumhalf Kieran Hardy in the 79th minute after Wales had gone through 21 phases to set up the blindside snipe from a ruck a few metres out.
That made it 36-35 and despite the Reds regaining the ball from the kick-off in the last move of the game, a midfield turn-over saved the day and made it a match to celebrate for the tourists.
Hell of a game @WelshRugbyUnion pic.twitter.com/XWKpyv32gC
— Queensland Reds (@Reds_Rugby) July 19, 2024
This may not have been a full-blown Test match, but it was a big chance for Gatland’s squad to get a much-needed taste of victory to end 12 months of action in which they played 16 internationals and two non-capped games.
There was a first try on his Wales debut for rugby league convert Regan Grace and six tries in all for the tourists at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Wales were forced into a late change when the appointed captain for the day, Cory Hill, pulled out for personal reasons. That meant Dafydd Jenkins moved up off the bench and Dewi Lake joined the replacements.
On the field, the visitors got the best possible start when one of the players of the tour, tight head prop Archie Griffin, drove over from three metres out to cross for the first of four first half tries in only the fifth minute.
The Reds hit back with their own version of a driving line-out with hooker Richie Asiata converting two line-out drives to keep the home side in the hunt. They would have had a third try had the experienced James O’Connor not lost the ball as he crossed the line to touch down for a try that was given on field before the TMO intervened.
Both Welsh wings, Regan Grace on his debut in a Welsh rugby union shirt, and Rio Dyer then added tries. Dyer released Dyer on the left to give him a 20 metre run into the line, while his own try came from a pin-point cross kick by Sam Costelow.
Hooker Evan Lloyd picked up a yellow card in the 27th minute, leading to acting captain Gareth Davies throwing into one line-out, but by the time he came back onto the field he found Jenkins in the middle of a line-out five metres out to pave the way for Christ Tshiunza to power over for the fourth try in the last move of a good first half for Wales.
It took a mere six minutes at the start of the second half for Wales to extend their lead when Nick Tompkins made the most of a superb 50:22 kick from Costelow that allowed his forwards to win a line out and set up his midfield to breach the Reds defence.
Costelow added the extras, and the lead grew to 17 points, but Asiata’s hat-trick try from another driving line-out in the 52nd minute threw the game back into the melting-pot.
O’Connor added the extras and went on to improve a good back line move that led to a try from wing Mac Grealy on the hour mark that made it a one score game.
Wales picked up a penalty from the re-start and then had three close-range line-outs to try to drive over once again. They were held up and then turned over from the third as the Reds defended their line superbly.
Wales were left to rue that missed opportunity as the home side conjured up a move from a scrum five metres out from their own line that led to Grealy racing over in the left corner for the try that put the Reds in front.
O’Connor’s conversion made it 35-31 with nine minute to play and after Mason Grady was turned over on the Reds line it looked as though it wasn’t going to be Wales’ day.
But back they came to create the opening for Hardy to cross to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
The scorers:
For Reds:
Tries: Asiata 3, Grealy 2
Cons: O’Connor 5
For Wales:
Tries: Griffin, Grace, Dyer, Tshiunza, Tompkins, Hardy
Cons: Costelow 3
Teams:
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell (captain), 14 Floyd Aubrey, 13 Tim Ryan, 12 Dre Pakeho, 11 Mac Grealy, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Louis Werchon, 8 Joe Brial, 7 John Bryant, 6 Seru Uru, 5 Ryan Smith, 4 Connor Vest, 3 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 2 Richie Asiata, 1 Sef Fa’agase.
Replacements: 16 George Blake, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Massimo De Lutiis, 19 Josh Canham, 20 Connor Anderson, 21 Will Cartwright, 22 Mason Gordon, 23 Lachie Anderson.
Wales: 15 Cameron Winnett, 14 Rio Dyer, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Eddie James, 11 Regan Grace, 10 Sam Costelow, 9 Gareth Davies (captain), 8 Mackenzie Martin, 7 Taine Plumtree, 6 Christ Tshiunza, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 4 Matthew Screech, 3 Archie Griffin, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Kemsley Mathias.
Replacements: 16 Efan Daniel, 17 Corey Domachowski, 18 Harri O’Connor, 19 Dewi Lake, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Ben Thomas, 23 Mason Grady.
