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All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden kicked a last-minute penalty to give the Wellington Hurricanes a 28-26 win over Queensland in Super 15 rugby on Saturday, snapping the Reds' record seven-match winning streak.
The 13th-placed Hurricanes ran in four tries in a 24-minute burst to build a 22-5 halftime lead, but Queensland rallied with two second-half tries by winger Luke Morahan to lead 26-25 with nine minutes remaining.
Cruden had managed only two goals from six attempts when he stood over the final kick of the match, but he sent his 32-meter penalty attempt through the posts to give the Hurricanes their third win from nine matches this season.
"We went away from our strengths in the second half," Wellington captain Andrew Hore said. "We had some good, hard-ball carriers in the first half and the forwards did what forwards should do, but in the second half we tried to be all backs."
Queensland dropped from the top of the table for the first time in eight weeks. The Reds have eight wins from 10 games but last won a Super rugby match in Wellington in 1998.
The Reds scored the match's opening try through backrower Scott Higginbotham after only 80 seconds. They turned possession from the kickoff into a brilliant, sprawling attack. Morahan went close to scoring from a searching kick by Quade Cooper only five minutes later.
Winger Faifili Levavae scored in the 11th minute and tries followed to Cruden in the 26th minute, fullback Andre Taylor in the 30th and prop Neemia Tialata in the 35th as the Hurricanes picked apart Queensland's defense.
The Reds' lineout was poor, giving the Hurricanes a steady supply of turnover possession, and Wellington was able to pressure the Queensland scrum in the absence of Wallabies props James Slipper and Ben Daley.
Queensland captain James Horwill said his team lacked enthusiasm at times and should not have allowed Wellington the chance to decide the match with a final penalty.
"I think we came out and did exactly what we wanted to do in the first couple of minutes and then we went to sleep, and you can't do that against a good Hurricanes side," he said.
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Scores:
Wellington 28 (Faifili Levavae, Aaron Cruden, Andre Taylor, Neemia Tialata tries; Aaron Cruden conversion, 2 penalties) def. Queensland 26 (Luke Morahan 2, Scott Higginbotham tries; Quade Cooper conversion, 3 penalties). HT: 22-5.
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The 13th-placed Hurricanes ran in four tries in a 24-minute burst to build a 22-5 halftime lead, but Queensland rallied with two second-half tries by winger Luke Morahan to lead 26-25 with nine minutes remaining.
Cruden had managed only two goals from six attempts when he stood over the final kick of the match, but he sent his 32-meter penalty attempt through the posts to give the Hurricanes their third win from nine matches this season.
"We went away from our strengths in the second half," Wellington captain Andrew Hore said. "We had some good, hard-ball carriers in the first half and the forwards did what forwards should do, but in the second half we tried to be all backs."
Queensland dropped from the top of the table for the first time in eight weeks. The Reds have eight wins from 10 games but last won a Super rugby match in Wellington in 1998.
The Reds scored the match's opening try through backrower Scott Higginbotham after only 80 seconds. They turned possession from the kickoff into a brilliant, sprawling attack. Morahan went close to scoring from a searching kick by Quade Cooper only five minutes later.
Winger Faifili Levavae scored in the 11th minute and tries followed to Cruden in the 26th minute, fullback Andre Taylor in the 30th and prop Neemia Tialata in the 35th as the Hurricanes picked apart Queensland's defense.
The Reds' lineout was poor, giving the Hurricanes a steady supply of turnover possession, and Wellington was able to pressure the Queensland scrum in the absence of Wallabies props James Slipper and Ben Daley.
Queensland captain James Horwill said his team lacked enthusiasm at times and should not have allowed Wellington the chance to decide the match with a final penalty.
"I think we came out and did exactly what we wanted to do in the first couple of minutes and then we went to sleep, and you can't do that against a good Hurricanes side," he said.
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Scores:
Wellington 28 (Faifili Levavae, Aaron Cruden, Andre Taylor, Neemia Tialata tries; Aaron Cruden conversion, 2 penalties) def. Queensland 26 (Luke Morahan 2, Scott Higginbotham tries; Quade Cooper conversion, 3 penalties). HT: 22-5.
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