Carter Gordon scored with the last play of the match to seal a dramatic 34–31 victory for the Queensland Reds over the ACT Brumbies at a storm-delayed GIO Stadium, ending Queensland’s five-game losing streak against their Australian rivals.
The Brumbies looked home and hosed leading 31–20 with barely a minute remaining, but two tries in the final two minutes — the first to Filipo Daugunu and the second to Gordon in the 82nd minute — completed one of the great comebacks in Super Rugby Pacific history.
The match was delayed by 85 minutes due to a spectacular lightning storm around Canberra, with multiple strikes within 10km of the stadium forcing repeated postponements. When play finally got underway at 9pm local time, the drama on the field more than made up for the wait.
“We didn’t start that well but certainly worked our way back into the game in the first half in pretty good fashion,” Reds head coach Les Kiss said. “To finish like we did at the back end of the game after all the shenanigans early was special from the boys.”
The hosts raced to a 12–0 lead inside nine minutes. Lachie Shaw powered over from the back of a maul after the Reds dropped the restart and conceded a scrum penalty, before Charlie Cale continued his stunning season by racing down the tramline after good work from wingers Kye Oates and Hudson Creighton.
But the Reds found their groove through two quality tries. First, Harry Wilson produced a beauty of an offload in contact to put winger Lachie Anderson over near the corner. Then came the try of the match — a sweeping move down the left that involved Carter Gordon, centre Isaac Henry, Wilson and flanker Fraser McReight before Josh Flook scooted over untouched to give the visitors a 17–12 lead.
Cale struck again with his second of the evening after a persistent Brumbies attack, but Louis Werchon’s penalty on the stroke of half-time gave the Reds a 20–19 advantage at the break — the third lead change of a pulsating first 40 minutes.
The second half became a battle of attrition as both sides struggled to put phases together. The Reds coughed up 18 turnovers to the Brumbies’ 13, and Kiss’s side found themselves unable to crack the hosts’ rigid defence.
Fullback Andy Muirhead crashed over to restore the Brumbies’ lead in the 62nd minute after they turned down an easy three points, backing themselves from five metres out. Then Luke Reimer appeared to have sealed the victory when he latched onto a pinpoint crossfield kick from Tane Edmed with 10 minutes remaining, diving over from close range to push the lead to 31–20.
But the Reds refused to die. With less than two minutes on the clock, Daugunu picked from the base of the ruck near the posts and expertly kept his knees up, rolling off a defender and over the line. Werchon converted to make it 31–27.
What followed was chaos. Jock Campbell fielded the restart deep in his own quarter and produced a superb 45-metre break, beating several defenders before kicking ahead for rookie Treyvon Pritchard. Muirhead scrambled back desperately but Pritchard threw it back inside and the Brumbies knocked on, giving the Reds a five-metre scrum.
The Brumbies’ front row disintegrated under the pressure, conceding a penalty. The Reds called for another scrum, then went again. From the ruck, Werchon fed Gordon, who angled a run towards the corner, skinned opposite number Edmed, and dived over to complete the heist.
“We didn’t spend a lot of time up on the Brumbies tryline so for Carter to take the bull by the horns in that moment was certainly very good for us and him for sure,” Kiss said.
Gordon’s heroics capped a remarkable return to rugby union. The former Wallabies playmaker only played his first competition game since 2024 last Friday after a stint with Gold Coast in the NRL. In a nice touch on Club Rugby Round, Gordon wore a sock each from the two clubs that shaped him — Sunshine Coast Grammar and Wests.
The result was not without controversy. Television replays suggested Daugunu may have knocked on from the kick-off after his try, with the ball appearing to touch McReight in an offside position. But the officials allowed play to continue, setting up Gordon’s match-winner.
“That’s a shocker,” former Wallaby Justin Harrison said on the Stan Sport broadcast.
The loss put a dampener on what should have been a milestone night for James Slipper, who equalled Wyatt Crockett’s record of 202 Super Rugby Pacific appearances.
“There’s not much to say,” Slipper said. “I’m obviously very proud to get to 202 games, but mate, I’d trade it all in to get a result tonight. Just the way that unfolded there, kind of put a dampener on things.”
For the Brumbies, it was a cruel reversal of fortune after they had come from behind to beat the Blues in similar fashion last week. Cale’s two tries took his season tally to seven in four games, continuing his push for a Wallabies recall.
“It’s tough. We got the better end of the stick last week against the Blues in a very similar situation,” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said. “There’s nothing much we can do about it now. There was certainly some good stuff in the game and some good performances.”
The Reds will sweat on the fitness of Anderson, who was taken to hospital with an arm injury. His early departure handed 18-year-old Pritchard an extended debut of 64 minutes on the wing — including one moment where he beat the tackle of his elder brother Kadin, playing in the Brumbies’ centres.
“Treyvon has been impressive for the past six months,” Kiss said. “He’s a great lad and he’ll only be better for that outing.”
The Reds return home to face the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday, while the Brumbies travel to Fiji to take on the Drua.
Key moments
3 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Perfect start for the hosts. The Reds drop the restart and the Brumbies win the scrum penalty, setting up a five-metre lineout. Lachie Shaw picks and goes off the back of the maul and powers over just left of the posts. Ryan Lonergan converts. (Brumbies 7–0)
9 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Charlie Cale’s red-hot form continues. The Brumbies bounce infield off the lineout with players in motion. Kye Oates finds space on the right edge and pops it outside for Cale, who races down the tramline and dots down in the corner. Lonergan misses from wide. (Brumbies 12–0)
15 mins – TRY REDS: The Reds hit back through Lachie Anderson. Harry Wilson produces a beauty of an offload in contact, finding Anderson who pumps his legs and powers over near the corner. Louis Werchon converts. (Brumbies 12–7)
17 mins – TRY DISALLOWED: Declan Meredith appears to score after scooping up a loose ball from a Fraser McReight turnover, but the TMO spots a knock-on in the lead-up. The Reds survive.
22 mins – PENALTY REDS: Werchon slots from in front after the Brumbies are pinged for offside. (Brumbies 12–10)
28 mins – TRY REDS: Silky hands from the Reds as they work it down the left from the Brumbies’ 10. Jock Campbell gets it away quickly for Filipo Daugunu, who pops it outside for Wilson. The Wallabies captain fires a quick ball inside for Josh Flook, who races in the last 15 metres untouched. Werchon converts. (Brumbies 12–17)
36 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Cale gets his double! The Brumbies set up the attacking lineout and push forward with the maul. Billy Pollard has a dash but is short, then Cale picks and goes with power and muscles it down 10 metres in from the left touchline. Lonergan converts. (Brumbies 19–17)
40+1 mins – PENALTY REDS: The Reds steal the lead on the siren. David Feliuai is pinged for killing the ruck and Werchon slots from 35 metres, just left of centre. (Brumbies 19–20)
Half-time: Brumbies 19–20 Reds. A cracker of a first half with both sides showing plenty of adventure. The Brumbies raced to a 12–0 lead through Shaw and Cale before the Reds hit back with tries to Anderson and Flook. Cale’s second restored the hosts’ lead, but Werchon’s penalty on the siren gave Queensland a one-point advantage at the break.
46 mins – CLOSE CALL: Lonergan makes up serious ground to stop Kalani Thomas after a clever grubber from Carter Gordon. The Brumbies scramble back to dot down in-goal.
49 mins – MEREDITH SPARKS HOSTS: Declan Meredith’s smart chip and chase gets the Brumbies rolling inside the 22, but they knock on at the back of the ruck. Reds scrum.
55 mins – REDS ON THE MARCH: The Reds work their way inside the five-metre line with Daugunu going close, but initial penalty calls are waved off after a knock-on in the lead-up. Treyvon Pritchard then nearly scores in the corner but is bundled into touch a metre out.
62 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Andy Muirhead crashes over! The Brumbies turn down an easy three and back themselves from five metres out. After several pick-and-goes, Muirhead receives the ball on the left, steps back inside and muscles it down in contact. Lonergan misses the conversion, hitting the right upright. (Brumbies 24–20)
73 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Luke Reimer delivers what looks like the match-sealer! Tane Edmed puts up a pinpoint crossfield kick that hits Reimer on the chest. He’s dragged down just short but gets the ball a few phases later, diving over from close range. Lonergan converts. (Brumbies 31–20)
79 mins – TRY REDS: Daugunu gives the Reds hope! The winger picks from the base of the ruck and expertly keeps his knees up, rolling off a defender and over the line. Werchon converts. (Brumbies 31–27)
80 mins – CAMPBELL SPARKS CHAOS: From the restart, Jock Campbell runs 50 metres from near his own in-goal, beating several defenders before kicking through for Treyvon Pritchard. Muirhead scrambles back to stop him but Pritchard throws it back inside and the Brumbies knock on. Reds scrum five metres out.
80+1 mins – SCRUM PENALTY REDS: The Brumbies disintegrate in the front row and concede a penalty. The Reds call for another scrum.
80+3 mins – TRY REDS: THE REDS STEAL IT! From the scrum, Werchon fires it outside for Gordon, who skips to the outside of Edmed and dives over in the corner! What a finish! Werchon converts from wide. (Brumbies 31–34)
Full-time: Brumbies 31–34 Reds
Teams
Brumbies: 15 Andy Muirhead, 14 Kye Oates, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Hudson Creighton, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (c), 8 Charlie Cale, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Tuiana Taii Tualima, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Lachie Shaw, 3 Rhys van Nek, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Tevita Alatini, 19 Toby Macpherson, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Austin Anderson.
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Isaac Henry, 11 Filipo Daugunu, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Louis Werchon, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (c), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Richie Asiata, 17 George Blake, 18 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 19 Seru Uru, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 23 Treyvon Pritchard.
Match details
Brumbies 31 (Tries: Shaw, Cale 2, Muirhead, Reimer; Conversions: Lonergan 3/5)
Reds 34 (Tries: Anderson, Flook, Daugunu, Gordon; Conversions: Werchon 4/4; Penalties: Werchon 2/2)
Half-time: 19–20
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
Referee: Damon Murphy (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Jordan Way, Jeremy Markey
TMO: James Leckie
Notes: Kick-off was delayed by 85 minutes due to a lightning storm around Canberra. James Slipper equalled Wyatt Crockett’s record for the most capped Super Rugby Pacific player with his 202nd appearance. Corey Toole (leg) and Ollie Sapsford (hamstring) were late withdrawals for the Brumbies. Lachie Anderson departed early with an arm injury and was taken to hospital, with Treyvon Pritchard making his debut.
Nations Championship3 weeks ago
Nations Championship5 days ago
Nations Championship1 week ago
Nations Championship2 weeks ago
Nations Championship2 weeks ago
Nations Championship3 weeks ago
Junior World Championship1 week ago
Nations Championship1 week ago