<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340917</docID> <postdate>2025-03-22 17:35:08</postdate> <headline>Brumbies go down to Broncos in women’s clash</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-340918" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20250322161073555774-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Charlotte Caslick (centre) made an immediate impression in the Reds' win over the Brumbies. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Murray Wenzel</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Charlotte Caslick pulled the strings as the Queensland Reds held on for a vital 26-22 defeat of the ACT Brumbies in their Super Rugby Women's clash in Canberra.</strong></p> <p>The Reds led 26-15 entering the final stages on Saturday before the hosts nailed a penalty, then scored a brilliant try to make it a four-point game with seven minutes to play.</p> <p>Reds winger Caitlin Urwin was yellow-carded, but the visitors hung on, celebrating when the Brumbies fluffed an attempted short line-out while on the attack after the siren.</p> <p>Brumbies winger Biola Dawa's late try, after winning the ball in a ruck and taking a quick tap, stole back the bonus point off the Reds (2-1), who will finish the penultimate round in third place.</p> <p>"We seem to love to make it harder for ourselves," Reds skipper Ivania Wong said.</p> <p>"Thankfully we held them off... we had to settle (in the second half), keeping possession, staying calm and going direct."</p> <p>The Brumbies (0-2-1) are out of the finals picture, while the Reds can lock up a semi-final berth with victory over the Western Force – who play second-placed Fijian Drua on Sunday – next week.</p> <p>Brumbies No.10 Faitala Moleka had put her side in front at the break, nailing three penalties and scoring herself before Caslick played her part.</p> <p>The Australian rugby sevens star has switched full-time to the 15-a-side code ahead of this year's World Cup and started for the first time, at fullback, on Saturday.</p> <p>The 30-year-old ran the ball 13 times and set up debutant Piper Flynn for a try with the winger's first touch, thanks to a confident double cut-out pass.</p> <p>That try put the Reds clear after prop Eva Karpani had bulldozed over in the first half and centre Faythe Manera had sliced through.</p> <p>Replacement halfback Natalie Wright set up the decisive try, stepping through the line from the restart after Flynn's try before Tiarna Molloy finished the move.</p> <p>Moleka nailed a long-range penalty and the momentum shifted, but the Brumbies fell just short as Caslick made a crucial turnover in the ruck.</p> <p>"There was a shift (but) in a game like that, you can't afford to chase," Brumbies captain Siokapesi Palu said.</p> <p>"It's the mental battle... our girls are capable and we'll stay in it, no heads down."</p> </body>