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• Waratahs v QR Qld Reds

The QR Queensland Reds' newest centurion David Croft was denied the celebration his career deserved as the Reds slumped to a demoralising 26-13 loss to the Waratahs in their Investec Super 14 match in Sydney.

Croft had the honour of leading the team on for his 100th game and was in the thick of the action throughout, except for the obligatory stint in the blood bin.

However he was unable to lift his teammates to victory in the error-ridden match which illustrated why the two sides are at the bottom of the Super 14 table.

This loss meant the Templeton Cup stays with NSW in this 125th years of interstate rivalry and leaves the Reds seven points adrift at the bottom of the ladder with three games to go.

Waratahs fullback Peter Hewat opened the scoring with a 45-metre penalty in the first five minutes, quickly countered by Reds counterpart Clinton Schifcofske.

The two sides traded penalties until a breakthrough moment just before halftime when Waratahs scrumhalf Josh Valentine spotted a blindside gap at a ruck and darted down the touchline to score in the corner. Hewat adding the extras for a half-time lead of 16-6.

Another Hewat penalty shortly after the restart gave the home side a 13-point buffer but the Reds rebounded in the 49th minute when a Berrick Barnes' chip kick bounced straight into the arms of Schifcofske, who raced clear to score and convert his first Super 14 try.

A yellow card to Reds prop Tama Tuirirangi for back-chatting swung the momentum back to NSW and condemned the Reds to 10 minutes of dour and desperate defence to successfully repel the Waratahs, only to see NSW flanker Beau Robinson score the clincher with seven minutes remaining.

Waratahs 26 (Valentine, Robinson tries, Hewat 2 con, 4 pen) def QR Queensland Reds 13 (Clinton Schifcofske try, con, 2 pen). Crowd 21,872