Cooper inspires Reds' win
Reds fly-half Quade Cooper scored 26 points as the Queensland Reds beat ACT Brumbies 31-25 in Canberra.
Last Updated: 05/03/11 12:07pm
Reds fly-half Quade Cooper scored 26 points to inspire Queensland Reds to a 31-25 victory over ACT Brumbies, the visitors' first Super Rugby win in Canberra.
The Brumbies scored four tries to one but ill-discipline throughout allowed the in-form Cooper to kick seven penalties and a drop-goal to give his side an historic away victory.
It was a stirring comeback from the Reds following their record defeat to the NSW Waratahs last weekend, but it was a disappointing loss for the Brumbies, who sacked coach Andy Friend in the week after defeat to Melbourne.
The supporters at Canberra Stadium may have been hoping their players would lift themselves for new coach Tony Rea, but any good work they did was quickly undone by a raft of silly penalties, most of them within Cooper's range.
The Brumbies outscored their Australian rivals four tries to one, but captain Matt Giteau failed miserably with the boot which proved to be extremely costly for the home side.
Giteau missed three conversions which could have at least tied the game.
The Reds opened the scoring with a Cooper penalty after just three minutes and extended the lead soon after when flanker Scott Higginbotham crashed over, Cooper converting from out wide to make it 10-0.
The Brumbies got on the scoreboard midway through the first half when hooker Stephen Moore took a quick-tap right in front of the posts and caught the Reds napping for a simple try.
Impressive
Cooper replied with another two penalties, before the home side struck again when impressive full-back Pat McCabe skipped through some flimsy defence to score out wide.
But a penalty and a drop-goal from Cooper gave the Reds a 22-15 lead heading into half-time despite losing prop Ben Daley to a soft yellow card for a high tackle two minutes from the break.
The hosts took advantage of the extra man straight after the restart when Tongan-born number eight Ita Vaea crossed out wide to bring the Brumbies to within two points of the visitors.
But two more Cooper penalties put Queensland out to an eight-point lead and yet another one with 12 minutes remaining made it 31-20 to the Reds.
The Brumbies struck back with seven minutes to go when prop Ben Alexander crossed next to the posts, but Giteau's conversion hit the upright, leaving the home side still needing a converted try to win.
They threw everything at the Reds but were unable to make an impression as the visitors hung on.
