The Brumbies shocked the Reds 14-22 in Brisbane for a result which has little impact on the Brumbies but opens up the Super Rugby finals charge.
The Brumbies victory ends the Reds winning streak at Suncorp Stadium which stretches back 11 matches to March 2010.
Giteau kicked an extra time penalty which denied the Reds a losing bonus point which could be crucial as the Reds are chasing a home final.
This result and the Blues loss to the Chiefs earlier impacts on the top eight teams as anyone in the top eight could now qualify.
The new Super Rugby format has received much criticism but with two full rounds left 8 out of 15 teams are still in the running which provide a thrilling climax.
The Brumbies, enduring their worst Super rugby season with 10 losses, won only their third game of the campaign to all but ensure they will avoid the indignity of finishing last in the Australian Conference.
Despite protests from his team-mates to kick the ball out, Matt Giteau rubbed salt into Reds’ wounds when he scored a penalty after the full-time siren to ensure that the Reds did not collect a losing bonus point.
The upset was just the Reds’ third loss of the season and left them one point ahead of South Africa’s Stormers in the overall standings with two games left to this month’s top-six playoffs.
Giteau finished with five penalties and a conversion, while Reds’ Wallaby rival Quade Cooper landed three penalties in five attempts.
There were only two tries scored in an attritional Australian derby with the Brumbies’ Wallaby hooker Stephen Moore going over against his old teammates in the 21st minute.
Fullback Ben Lucas put the Reds within eight points of the Brumbies at halftime (19-11) with a try in the 38th minute.
The Reds’ woes deepened when Wallaby outside back Digby Ioane was taken to hospital after crashing to the ground unconscious following a high tackle from Brumbies’ number eight Ita Vaea.
“It’s been a tough year for us and it was a huge show of character tonight,” skipper Giteau said.
“Defensively, we were put under a lot of pressure and we backed our defence and in these Australian games previous form doesn’t mean a great lot, so we’re pretty happy with the win.”
The Reds looked flat and flustered against the swarming Brumbies’ defence, which didn’t let up for the entire contest.
“They didn’t surprise and we knew they would come at us, so it’s a disappointing effort by us,” Reds’ skipper James Horwill said.
“We didn’t capitalise on efforts we made down in their quarter and we let them into the game with some silly mistakes.
“The Brumbies pressured us at the breakdown and they got some results.”
The Reds travel across to Perth to face the Western Force next Saturday, while the Brumbies host the Melbourne Rebels in Canberra in a contest which could decide which team finishes last in the Australian Conference.
The Reds have already qualified for the Super Rugby play offs as the Australian Conference leader because the Waratahs cannot overtake them in the standings.
Final Score Reds 14 Brumbies 22
Scorers
Reds
Tries – B Lucas
Pen – Q Cooper 3
Con –
Drop –
Cards –
Brumbies
Tries – S Moore
Pen – M Giteau 5
Con – M Giteau
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Garratt Williamson
Assistant referees: Ian Smith, Simon Moore
Television match official: Steve Lesczcynski
Teams
Reds :1. Ben Daley,2. Saia Faingaa,3. James Slipper,4. Rob Simmons,5. James Horwill,6. Scott Higginbotham,7. Ben Coridas,8. Radike Samo,9. Will Genia,10. Quade Cooper,11. Digby Ioane,12. Ben Tapuai,13. Anthony Faingaa,14. Luke Morahan,15. Ben Lucas
Reserves : 16. James Hanson,17. Greg Holmes,18. Adam Wallace-Harrison,19. Jake Schatz,20. Ian Prior,21. Will Chambers,22. Dom Shipperley
Brumbies:1. Jono Owen , 2. Stephen Moore , 3. Ben Alexander , 4. Ben Hand , 5. Mark Chisholm , 6. Mitchell Chapman , 7. Julian Salvi , 8. Ita Vaea , 9. Patrick Phibbs , 10. Matt Giteau , 11. Adam Ashley-Cooper , 12. Christian Lealiifano , 13. Tyrone Smith , 14. Henry Speight , 15. Pat McCabe
Replacements:16. Anthony Hegarty , 17. Jerry Yanuyanutawa , 18. Peter Kimlin , 19. Henry Vanderglas , 20. Nic White , 21. Robbie Coleman , 22. Andrew Smith
The Blueprint to beat the Reds can be found in this game…. play in the faces of the Reds, give Cooper no time or space… force his hand and make him kick possession back…. then bliksem them stukkend with hard and constructive play.
I see the hand of a certain Mr Jake White in the Brumbies win over the Reds.
loosehead @ 2
dont think so bru … as far as i know, he’s not actively involved with the brumbies at the moment … unless its a case like when the boks won against the wallabies 3n 2008, when there were people claiming its all becuase of jake, because according to them “jake coached the boks from behind the bossies in the week leading up to that test” …
you’re nor trying to say that jake is currently coaching from behind the bossies, are you? 😀
@ Ashley:
From what I hear he has already started. They had a mini Staaldraad and everything already.
loosehead @ 4
not sure bru
from media reports the current caretaker coach held this mini staaldraad … might be that jake was involved in this, but then he really stayed on the background and let someone else take the credit for both the mini staaldraad and the upset over the reds … doesnt fit in with my profile of jake (the snake)
but
then … my profile of him can be distorted!!
@ Ashley:
I am sure that the 2007 RWC WINNING COACH MR JAKE WHITE had a hand in it. I will search for reference later on today and post it here.
loosehead @ 6
😆 good idea bru,
we’re both operating and assessing the situation from behind our own perceptions
and
unless we can find (or not find) any reference to jake on above issues, we’ll believe that we’re assessing the situation correctly!!
..
o, and just in case you do find reference to jake on the issues mentioned …. who believe the media anyway?? 😆
Whatever the situation, Jake has already had a chance to assess the current squad and has indicated already that he does not require certain players for next year… and has started to contract new players.
That alone is a wake up call to the players by Jake the Snake… and MUST have influenced some if not most of the players to play with much more heart, in fear of being dropped by the wayside.
The rest… is mere speculation.
gbs @ 8
uhm … wie’t jou opinie gevra? 😀
goooooooooooooo stormers!! hehehe, weer my favourate week … bulls vs stormers coming up!!! mo*r hulle stormers!!!
yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! 😆
9@ Ashley:
Moer wie?
Jou Stormers kannie eers OM Moer nie…. hehehe
Julle kak is gebook!
gbs @ 10
hahahaha, goeie een!!
…
in die woorde van maybe die beste “dont drink and drive campaign” nog ….
onthou, pappa wag vi’ jou!!! 😀
@ Ashley:
Check with Morne, he says that Jake is already busy in Aus.
Dit is darem so lekker om vroeg oggend n’ website oop te maak en te sien dan Provinsialisme nog sterk hardloop in SA.
@ Ashley:
Wil jy he die stormers moet wen of baklei?
@ grootblousmile:
Ek sien die kaap sukkel so bietjie met skoon water en “contamination” hier en daar, jy is dalk meer reg as wat jy dink.
By the way, dit sal goed wees vir die Bulls om te wen in die kaap, maar ek dink nie die Stormers gaan dit sommer toelaat nie.
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