Gordon double fires Reds to another win, Crusaders see off Highlanders in thriller

SATURDAY WRAP: The Queensland Reds have burst to life late, two long-range tries sealing a third straight Super Rugby Pacific win after the Waratahs had ground them close to submission.

Saturday’s Suncorp Stadium clash was a dour affair for almost an hour, before a Carter Gordon double and another dazzling five-pointer for Isaac Henry got the Reds home 26-17.

Gordon hopped over a would-be tackler in broken play and showed impressive speed to burn around Harry Potter for the match-winner from 55m out with six minutes to play.

Henry linked up with rampaging winger Filipo Daugunu, who had weaved through traffic after substitute Treyvon Pritchard’s earlier line-break had shaken things up.

Earlier Gordon finished a play set up by another line-break and a flick pass from in-form fullback Jock Campbell.

Gordon’s bomb in the first half led to a Harry Wilson try as the Test flyhalf, who scored last week’s match-winner against the Brumbies, again showed his wares after a stint in the NRL.

Down 17-19, Waratahs centre Triston Reilly thought he’d put his men back in front.

But replays showed his spectacular diving effort was for nothing, with the ball planted on the sideline in the dead-ball area.

Those highlights came thick and fast after an opening hour dominated by box kicks from Reds scrumhalf Louis Werchon and some rudderless attack at both ends.

Scores were locked 7-7 at half-time before impressive Tahs hooker Ioane Moananu found the line.

Potter also scored to put the visitors up by five before the Reds came to life.

The hosts improved to 3-1 before next Saturday’s trip to Fiji, where they’ve never won, while the Waratahs dropped to 2-2 but showed far more resolve than in their 19-59 loss to the Hurricanes a week ago.

Charlie Gamble was a late out for the visitors with an injury, replaced by English product and first try-scorer Jamie Adamson.

*In Christchurch, New Zealand U20s representative Johnny Lee has enjoyed a dream debut in Super Rugby Pacific, scoring twice as the Crusaders claimed a 29-18 win over the Highlanders in another thrilling South Island derby.

Cam Millar was the hero for the Highlanders in their Round One win over the Crusaders in Dunedin, with the flyhalf sinking a late penalty to beat the defending champions. Millar was again among the point-scorers, proving reliable off the kicking tee yet again.

The Highlanders led at the break but the Crusaders took control during the second term, with Lee and All Blacks fullback Will Jordan both standing out. Lee contributed as the defending champions piled on the points during a 17-0 blitz.

*In Ba, the undermanned Brumbies have suffered their first-ever loss to the Fijian Drua, beaten 27-42 in their second-straight Super Rugby Pacific defeat.

Coach Stephen Larkham made 10 changes to his squad that copped the heartbreaking, last-gasp 31-34 loss to the Queensland Reds because of player management protocols and injuries.

His heavily-rotated team not only had to battle the lively Drua, fresh from a bye and in front of a raucous home crowd, but also the wet, sultry conditions engulfing sold-out Four R Stadium at Ba in Fiji on Saturday.

After a back-and-forth first half the home side had a 20-12 lead at the main break and the Drua put more pressure on the visitors to create a 20-point deficit with less than 30 minutes remaining.

Although the Brumbies found three five-pointers, the Drua held strong to dash the Canberrans’ hopes of retaking top spot on the ladder.

See below for Saturday’s scores and scorers!

Fijian Drua 42-27 Brumbies

The scorers:

For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Waqa, Canakaivata, Ravudi, Droasese 2
Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 4
Pens: Armstrong-Ravula 3

For Brumbies:
Tries: Creighton, MacPherson 2, Lonergan, Muirhead
Con: Edmed

Teams:

Fijian Drua: 15 Iliasia Droasese, 14 Joji Nasova,13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12 Isikeli Rabitu, 11 Ponipate Loganimasi, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Frank Lomani (captain), 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Motikiai Murray, 6 Etonia Waqa, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Sairusi Ravudi, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Vilive Miramira, 20 Kitione Salawa, 21 Isoa Tuwai, 22 Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa, 23 Iosefo Namoce.

Brumbies: 15 Andy Muirhead (captain), 14 Corey Toole, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Kye Oates, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Klayton Thorn, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Luke Reimer, 6 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 5 Toby Macpherson, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Darcy Breen, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 Lington Ieli.
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowrn, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Tevita Alatini, 19 Lachie Shaw, 20 Rory Scott, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Hudson Creighton.

Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Michael Winter
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Crusaders 29-18 Highlanders

The scorers:

For Crusaders:
Tries: Jordan, Newell, Lee 2,
Cons: Reihana 3
Pen: Reihana

For Highlanders:
Tries: Tele’a, Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Con: Millar
Pens: Millar 2

Teams:

Crusaders: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Chay Fihaki, 13 Braydon Ennor, 12 David Havili (captain), 11 Sevu Reece, 10 Rivez Reihana, 9 Noah Hotham, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 7 Johnny Lee, 6 Ethan Blackadder, 5 Tahlor Cahill, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Finlay Brewis.
Replacements: 16 George Bell, 17 George Bower, 18 Seb Calder, 19 Will Tucker, 20 Xavier Saifoloi, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 23 Dallas McLeod.

Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Caleb Tangitau, 13 Tanielu Tele’a, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-captain), 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Folau Fakatava, 8 Lucas Casey, 7 Sean Withy (co-captain), 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 4 Tomas Lavanini, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Jack Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot.
Replacements: 16 Soana Viekna, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Rohan Wingham, 19 Oli Haig, 20 Nikora Broughton, 21 Veveni Lasaqa, 22 Adam Lennox, 23 Reesjan Pasiota.

Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy, Jeremy Markey
TMO: James Leckie

Reds 26-17 Waratahs

The scorers:

For Reds:
Tries: Wilson, Gordon 2, Henry
Cons: Werchon, Campbell 2

For Waratahs:
Tries: Adamson, Moananu, Potter
Con: Harvey

Teams:

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Isaac Henry, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Louis Werchon, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (captain), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 George Blake, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Treyvon Pritchard.

Waratahs: 15 James Hendren, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Triston Reilly, 12 Joey Walton, 11 Sid Harvey, 10 Jack Debreczeni, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Clem Halaholo, 5 Angus Blyth, 4 Matt Philip (captain), 3 Daniel Botha, 2 Ethan Dobbins, 1 Tom Lambert.
Replacements: 16 Ioane Moananu, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Siosifa Amone, 19 Miles Amatosero, 20 Leafi Talataina, 21 Teddy Wilson, 22 Lawson Creighton, 23 Harry Potter.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Maggie Cogger-Orr, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly