The Queensland Reds went across the ditch looking to extend their lead at the top of the Super Rugby standings, but they will return empty-handed and in second spot after blowing a series of missed chances against the Chiefs in the second half.
Level 10-10 in atrociously wet conditions in Hamilton, the Reds, as they have done all season, turned down a gift three points and kicked for the corner hoping for a try despite having a man in the sin bin in the 50th minute. But, as it did for much of the match, it backfired – and the Chiefs made them pay.
Not long after the Chiefs elected to take a shot at goals themselves and Damian McKenzie landed a difficult penalty to re-take the lead.
Then Luke Jacobson went for the nail in the coffin, kicking for touch instead of trying to make it a six-point lead and run the risk of conceding a late converted try. It paid off as Samisoni Taukei’aho scored.
Tupou Vaa’i celebrates during the Chiefs’ 27-15 win over the Queensland Reds in Hamilton. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)
Xavier Roe’s dart by the ruck then saw the Chiefs move to a 27-10 lead, before replacement playmaker Tom Lynagh crossed on the stroke of full-time to see the Reds go down 27-15.
The Reds undoubtedly will be kicking themselves for blowing several chances.
The decision to go for touch was one, with the Reds’ maul coming down and the Chiefs winning a scrum feed.
Making the moment all the more frustrating was it came with Reds tight-head prop Jeffrey Toomaga-Allen in the sin bin after the TMO spotted a clumsy high shot at a ruck.
“I think if we did have 15 players on the field we probably would have taken the three there,” McDermott said.
“I’ll wear that as the captain. It was a discussion we had on the field, and we ended up backing the boys and that’s what we’ve done all year.
“It obviously didn’t come off. We’ll review why it didn’t come off, but that’s something I’ll wear as captain.”
Minutes earlier, fly-half Harry McLaughlin-Phillips was left livid after losing control of the ball after diving for the tryline in what would have been a phenomenal individual effort.
Reds coach Les Kiss said he was pleased with his side’s effort, but also rued the missed chances.
“That 10-15 minutes they managed very well and then they controlled field position,” Kiss said on Sky.
“Some moments that we’d regret, we didn’t get the ball over when Harry McLaughlin-Phillips made the break and got over the line but the ball spilt out.
“A couple moments like that we weren’t clean enough, but the effort, intensity and defence at times was very pleasing.”
Harry McLaughlin-Phillips was centimetres away from scoring a stunning try against the Chiefs. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)
Asked whether the decision to turn down shots at goal was a pre-planned tactic or left to the onfield leadership, Kiss reiterated his comments earlier in the week that it was largely left to those on the field.
“Most of it’s left to the leadership,” Kiss said.
“One of the things we were thinking about was the yellow, we were going to control field position and time, and we went to the corner early and got the return on that drive so the boys backed themselves again to go for it.
“Unfortunately, we got held up. Hindsight’s always the winner.”
Jacobson was delighted with his side’s response in the second half, having let the Reds into the game either side of half-time.
“The Reds are a quality team and I think we saw that tonight, it was a good back and forth battle,” the back-rower said.
“We probably didn’t execute on our sets as we’d have liked in the first half, but in the second half we were able to play in the right areas of the field and able to get some reward from it.
“We got a good win against the top of the table team and put ourselves on the top of the table, so we’ve got to be happy.”
Christy Doranhttps://www.theroar.com.au/2025/04/04/ill-wear-that-as-captain-reds-rue-missed-chances-as-chiefs-storm-home-to-move-atop-super-rugby-standings/‘I’ll wear that as captain’: Reds rue missed chances as Chiefs storm home to move atop Super Rugby standings
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