Inside centre Hamish Stewart made full use of what was just about the Reds’ only second half attacking opportunity to score the try a few minutes from time that made sure of the home side’s 19-3 Domestic AU win over the Rebels in Brisbane on Saturday.

That scoreline might give the impression that this was a comprehensive, one-sided performance from the Reds but it was anything but. Indeed, it was something of a freakish game given how much ball the Rebels had in the second half, and how much territory they had, without being able to successfully cross the whitewash.

And given what happened to them against the Waratahs last week, when they conceded 38 points in the first half of their game at the Sydney Cricket Ground, it is no exaggeration to suggest that the chalk and cheese comparison between the Reds defence of last week with this week amounts to a miracle.

The Waratahs ran through them at will in Sydney, but in this game there was just no way through for a physically dominant Rebels unit against a Reds team that defended with great guts, commitment and tenacity and which also showed impressive defensive organisation.

The Reds needed to stand up after last week’s big defeat against their arch rivals and that they did that as they started with good energy against a Rebels side that has been the form team in the Domestic AU competition in the last three weeks. They Melbourne side had beaten the Waratahs by 19 points, the Western Force and the Brumbies 30-12 in their previous three matches.

Matt To’omua kicked the Rebels into an early lead with a penalty but the Reds showed their intent as a big scrum set up a try for promising young star Jordan Petaia cutting back off the first receiver to make it 7-3 to the home side after 14 minutes. A long pass out to Petaia on the wing then created the space that hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa needed to force his way over to make it 14-3 after 28 minutes.

That was the half-time score and that was the way it stayed until Stewart scored his try five minutes from the end. Before that the Rebels camped on the Reds line almost without respite, with the attacking team being held up three times in succession to set up the try-line drop-out that is one of the law variations in the AU competition.

After 63 minutes the possession stats reflected that the Rebels had enjoyed 92 percent of the possession in the second half, and three minutes later it was 93 percent. The territory statistic of the second half was 80% dominance for the Rebels.

The TMO was frequently called in to adjudicate as the Rebels swarmed all over the Reds line but every time it was a negative result. The Rebels did struggle a bit with their accuracy and there were some glaring poor decisions that cost them but you also have to credit the Reds for what was an heroic defensive effort. When they got their scoring chance from a rare scrum put in on the Rebels side of the halfway line they took it and put the visitors out of their misery on a frustrating night for Dave Wessels’ team.

SCORES

Reds 19 - Tries: Jordan Petaia, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Hamish Stewart; Conversions: James O’Connor 2. Rebels 3 - Penalty: Matt To’omua.