By Murray Wenzel

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.

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.

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.

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.

“We seem to love to make it harder for ourselves,” Reds skipper Ivania Wong said.

“Thankfully we held them off… we had to settle (in the second half), keeping possession, staying calm and going direct.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

That try put the Reds clear after prop Eva Karpani had bulldozed over in the first half and centre Faythe Manera had sliced through.

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.

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.

“There was a shift (but) in a game like that, you can’t afford to chase,” Brumbies captain Siokapesi Palu said.

“It’s the mental battle… our girls are capable and we’ll stay in it, no heads down.”