Reds edge Chiefs 19-17
Posted: Saturday March 06, 1999 01:56 PM
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Winger Damian Smith latched onto a crossfield kick in-goal to score a converted try for the Reds. Clive Mason/Allsport |
HAMILTON, Australia (AP) -- Queensland Reds scored three tries to one but endured some tense moments on the way to a 19-17 victory over the Chiefs in their Super 12 rugby match Saturday.
Fly-half Nathan Spooner had a miserable night with the boot, landing just two from seven attempts at goal. Winger Nathan Williams also fell victim to the pressure and rainy conditions, failing to kick his one attempt from 15 meters out.
Queensland held territorial and possession dominance for most of the first half but was suddenly on the back foot when a Matthew Cooper penalty in the 25th minute and an intercept try to halfback Rhys Duggan took the Chiefs out to an 8-0 lead.
Seven minutes from halftime, winger Damian Smith latched onto a crossfield kick in-goal to score a converted try for the Reds.
On halftime Cooper kicked his second penalty but two minutes into injury time flanker Mark Connors burst clear from close to the line to make the score 12-11 at halftime.
Cooper kicked two further penalties in the third quarter to make it 17-12 but 10 minutes from the break Connors picked up the loose ball and raced to within a meter of the try line from where lock Warwick Waugh barged over.
Spooner's second conversion won the game for Queensland.
"It is disappointing to get this close and lose but we're happy that we played a lot better than we did last week," Chiefs coach Ross Cooper said.
"We've still got a lot of work to do on our scrums but generally I think we stepped it up another level after the drubbing we got last week from the Crusaders."
Scorers: Queensland (Damian Smith, Mark Connors, Warwick Waugh tries; Nathan Spooner 2 conversions) def. Chiefs 17 (Rhys Duggan try; Matthew Cooper 4 penalties).
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