THEIR absent playmaker Quade Cooper might have been landing knockout blows but the Queensland Reds couldn't unleash one as they bumbled their way to a 20-8 pre-season loss to reigning Super Rugby champions the Chiefs on the Sunshine Coast tonight.
It was Queensland's first trial defeat in three years and a slightly worrying one a week out from the first competition game, against the Brumbies in Canberra next weekend.
And even though Cooper was off making short work of his first boxing match, disposing of Barry Dunnett with a first round knockout, and Wallabies captain James Horwill was missing after succumbing to friendly fire and rolling his ankle in training, the Reds still had few excuses. The Chiefs were not at full strength either, even though they fielded half a dozen internationals last night.
The blustery conditions made it difficult to grasp what acting Reds skipper James Slipper said was a sweaty ball but the Reds were the architects of most of their misery with an undisciplined display at the breakdown that saw them caned 5-1 in second half penalties.
The trial was not without its upside, however, with industrious flanker Ed Quirk rising to a new level, according to coach Ewen McKenzie,after another constructive display, while Ben Lucas made certain he will be wearing the nine jersey at Canberra Stadium next weekend after again performing solidly, especially in defence.
McKenzie was upbeat about his side's performance and was especially pleased Cooper came through his fight and the Reds through this willing contest without adding to what is already a hefty injury toll, with Radike Samo, Ben Daley, Beau Robinson and possibly also Anthony Fainga'a and Horwill missing the Brumbies clash.
"Obviously we'd like to win on the scoreboard but we used 28 players and we wanted to put some people under pressure," said McKenzie.
"I was pretty happy with parts of our game. The scrum performed well as did the lineout and it was a good contest at the breakdown ahead of the Brumbies game because they'll be as physical as the Chiefs were. But our ball control was disappointing and that's what cost us."
While pleased Cooper escaped any punishment in the ring, McKenzie was far from enthusiastic about his five-eighth's plans to continue his boxing career. "Maybe some time in the post-season," McKenzie said, "although when it the post-season these days?
"Quade has managed the two (rugby and boxing) well in the last couple of months but he'll have only one thing to think about next week."
Four penalties to start the game with ensured the Reds enjoyed all the field position in the opening exchanges but although they threatened on a number of occasions the Chiefs' tactic of committing a professional foul whenever in trouble drained all flow and momentum from the Queensland attack.
In the end Slipper became so exasperated he decided to ignore the convention of pre-season trials of not taking shots at penalty goal and instead accepted the easy three points on offer.
The Chiefs had their moments in first half, never looking more dangerous than when heavyweight winger Patrick Osborne shed the tackle of fullback Luke Morahan and set off on a rampaging run down the touchline. On that occasion a toe into touch put an end to the excitement but more often it was rusty handling that brought the Chiefs attack to a grinding halt.
The underrated Reds set piece surprisingly took early control, with Slipper several times taking up the right-hand side of the scrum against Toby Smith. On paper,the visitors front row was not one to be trifled with, not with Mahonri Schwalger, the ferocious warrior who led Samoa to a stunning victory over the Wallabies in 2011 packing at hooker and the one-man solar eclipse Ben Tameifuna at tighthead.
The Reds line-out, too, was operating well, even without the injured James Horwill ,and when Liam Gill forced a penalty as the Chiefs tried to ruck the ball out from their own line in the 36th minute, Slipper had no hesitation in kicking into the right-hand corner.
The Reds forwards secured possession and drove forward relentlessly and appropriately it was Gill, the scorer of two pick-and-drives against the Blues in Toowoomba last Saturday who forced his way over for the try.
Mike Harris' failed conversion attempt sent the Reds into the break with only an 8-0 advantage, hardly the lead they would have been hoping for considering they played the first half with a strong breeze at their backs.
Sure enough, the Chiefs signalled their intentions by kicking deep into Queensland territory at the start of the second half and pinning the Reds there. And in similar fashion to the locals, they too chose to kick for the corner from a penalty and were almost immediately rewarded with a try from a close-range charge from inside centre Bundee Aki. All Black flyhalf Aaron Cruden's conversion reduced Queensland's lead to a precarious 8-7.
Again the Chiefs came storming back and looked certain score a second try until a jolting tackle from Lucas right on his own tryline on number eight Fritz Lee forced a knock-on. But barely had the Reds extricated themselves from trouble than yet another penalty to the Chiefs allowed Cruden to nudge his side into the lead, 10-8, with a 40m goal.
The visitors went a converted try ahead in the 70th minute when a dropped ball turnover from Reds prop Albert Anae sparked a spirited attack that ended with winger Augustine Pulu crashing over wide out.
And in the shadow of fulltime fellow winger Asali Tikoirotuma crossed for the Chiefs third try as yet again the Reds failed to regroup after knocking on while on attack.
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