By Darren Walton in Brisbane
The ACT Brumbies have retained Australian bragging rights with a statement 39-26 comeback win over the Queensland Reds to surge into the Super Rugby Pacific’s all-important top four.
The Brumbies overcame a 14-0 first-half deficit to secure a fourth straight win over Queensland, and third in a row at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, to leapfrog the Reds into third spot.
The spirited victory came after Reds mentor and want-to-be Wallabies coach Les Kiss delivered a spectacular halftime spray to his team for giving up their 14-point lead.
“Didn’t he go off at halftime, Les Kiss?” said Wallabies great Tim Horan in Stan commentary.
The Reds had fired out of the blocks to charge to a 14-0 lead.
Wallabies centre Hunter Paisami opened the scoring with an early chip-and-chase effort, before hooker Richie Asiata barged over to double the lead.
Dual John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini almost single-handedly dragged the Brumbies back into the contest with a solo try in the 22nd minute.
The classy back-rower seemed to inspire the Brumbies, who dominated the rest of the half as his side wrestled the lead with further bulldozing tries to Tuaina Taii Tualima and Allan Alaalatoa.
A try-scoring double in the opening 15 minutes of the second half to Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard sealed the Reds’ fate.
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