Reds survive Hurricanes onslaught

The Reds managed to hold out the Hurricanes in for an 18-12 win in Brisbane in Round 3 of the 2013 Super Rugby tournament.

Opposing playmakers Cooper and Barrett exchanged penalties for the first quarter of the match, but the first piece of real action came when Digby Ioane went into the left corner thanks to some quick thinking from Ben Lucas. Cooper’s shot at goal was unsuccessful.

A special moment came when Rob Simmons crashed over for his first Super Rugby try in 51 games. The try came from a turnover at the scrum, which gave the Reds some confidence going forward. Cooper splits the uprights with his kick, putting the Reds 18-9 to the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes pounced on a loose Quade Cooper pass behind the posts, but the try was disallowed due to an earlier knock-on that was picked up.

The last 5 minutes of the game saw a heart-filled onslaught by the Hurricanes, but the Reds were able to hold off an attack that came within a few meters of the Reds’ line.

Player of the match: Liam Gill – while almost blowing the whole thing with a failed attempt to kick the ball into touch, Gill managed to redeem himself with a try-saving tackle in the dying seconds. The young flanker worked tirelessly throughout the game and showed experience beyond his years.

The scorers:

Reds:
Tries: Ioane, Simmons
Con: Cooper
Pens: Cooper 2

Hurricanes:
Pens: Barrett 4