Mafi double gifts Reds win in thriller
SUPER RUGBY AU MATCH REPORT: Hooker Alex Mafi scored two tries as the Reds came from behind to steal a late winner against the Rebels in Brisbane on Friday.
Mafi’s double were the only tries in a match where the boot of flyhalf Matt To’omua kept the Rebels in the lead for the better part of 80 minutes.
Matt Toomua has missed a shot at goal with the last kick of the game, that would have pinched Rebels an upset win over the Reds in a penalty-laden clash.
The Rebels accumulated points steadily through Toomua and Reece Hodge and led from the opening minute in a game that featured 32 penalties.
But two second-half tries to Queensland hooker Alex Mafi salvaged a 23-21 win for the Reds, who watched in glee as Toomua’s last-gasp penalty shot sailed left of the uprights.
The loss was a brutal one for the Rebels, who only flew into Brisbane on Friday morning and have been housed in Canberra after making a last-minute dash out of Melbourne to avoid a lockdown that would have meant they were unable to enter Queensland at all.
The Reds’ win was their eighth straight victory at home and came despite a red card to prop Feao Fotuaika, who was judged to have caught the head of an opponent in an innocuous tackle with 23 minutes to play.
The game’s final penalty also drew the ire of the crowd, with Hunter Paisami appearing to wrap the ball and upper torso of Frank Lomani.
But referee Jordan Way was leaving little room for error in a stop-start game which Toomua controlled for all but the final minutes.
He kicked the game’s opening points after just 60 seconds and slotted three more penalties to ensure the rebels led 12-6 at half-time.
The Reds, who piled on five tries in a slick win over the Waratahs last week, persevered with their running game and were finally rewarded when Mafi burrowed over in a rolling maul.
He fumbled what would have been a match-levelling try but then barged over in the 76th minute off a scrum, before O’Connor put his side in front for the first time.
NRL recruit Suliasi Vunivalu’s debut came with 16 minutes to go for the Reds and he almost made an instant impact.
The former Melbourne Storm wing chased a kick and almost got a hand on it before Joe Powell’s boot narrowly beat him to it.
The scorers
For the Reds
Tries: Mafi 2
Cons: O’Connor 2
Pens: O’Connor 3
For the Rebels
Pens: To’omua 6, Hodge
Teams
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Jordan Petaia, 13 Hunter Paisami, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Filipo Daugunu, 10 James O’Connor (captain), 9 Tate McDermott, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Seru Uru, 4 Angus Blyth, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Alex Mafi, 1 Dane Zander.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Harry Hoopert, 18 Feao Fotuaika, 19 Ryan Smith, 20 Sam Wallis, 21 Moses Sorovi, 22 Bryce Hegarty, 23 Suliasi Vunivalu.
Rebels: 15 Tom Pincus, 14 Lachlan Anderson, 13 Stacey Ili, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Matt To’omua (captain), 9 Joe Powell, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Brad Wilkin, 5 Trevor Hosea, 4 Steve Cummins, 3 Pone Faamausili, 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 Cabous Eloff.
Replacements: 16 Ed Craig, 17 Isaac Aedo Kailea, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Rob Leota, 20 Josh Kemeny, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Glen Vaihu, 23 Frank Lomani.
Referee: Jordan Way
Assistant referee: Damon Murphy, Aaron Pook
TMO: Brett Cronan
