Blues continue finals charge at Suncorp
The QR Reds let another one get away as the Blues kept their Investec Super 14 semi-finals hopes alive with a 35-22 win at Suncorp Stadium.
The Reds allowed the Blues to jump to a 20-7 halftime lead after wholehearted flanker David Croft had scored the opening try from a neat offload by Leroy Houston.
They fought their way back to lead 22-20 at the 60 minute mark after a forward power try to Van Humphries and a 60m Peter Hynes flyer following a Blues fumble.
But they were unable to go on with it and conceded another 15 points to the Blues, the visitors' vital bonus point winning try coming right on fulltime.
QR Reds captain James Horwill said the team drifted away from the direct and aggressive forward play that had paid dividends for them early in the second half.
Head Coach Phil Mooney lamented his side's failure to play with the required intensity for the full 80 minutes and a lack of game sense at crucial times.
"We gift wrapped them 20 points in the first half. They didn't really have to play any footy to get those 20 points," he said.
"We did well to get ourselves to the point where we could have, and should have, won the game.
"Unfortunately our option taking, game management...wasn't what it should have been."
QR Reds prop Rodney Blake was later cited for a dangerous tackle on Blues’ open side flanker Daniel Braid in the 59th minute of the match.
He will face a SANZAR Judicial Hearing next Tuesday evening at Queensland Rugby headquarters at Ballymore.
The QR Reds' next match is against the Crusaders at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, May 10.
Blues 35 (Jerome Kaino, Isa Nacewa, Kurtis Haiu, Taniela Moa tries Nick Evans 3 goals, 3 pens) def QR Reds 22 (David Croft, Van Humphries, Peter Hynes tries Clinton Schifcofske 2 goals, pen). Crowd: 15,732.
News conference audio highlights (wma audio files):
QR Reds coach Phil Mooney and Forwards Coach Mark Bell comment on the loss: Mooney said the young Reds need to learn to maintain intensity and said they missed the work in tight of injured backrower John Roe. Bell said a positive for the team was that the Reds scrum had problems early but adapted to the challenge posed by the tough Blues pack.
QR Reds captain James Horwill comments on the loss to the Blues: Horwill said the team found the tactics to win but then deviated from them. He says mistakes cost the Reds the game and says they will need to lift their performance against the Crusaders in the following week.
