Queensland Reds upset Brumbies 18-10, Caleb Timu receives yellow card

Eto Nabuli of the Reds reacts to loosing the ball during round two of the Super Rugby match between the Reds and the Brumbies. Photo / Getty Images.

Reds 18
Brumbies 10

Lunacy. Rugby's warped window on what constitutes an illegal hit reached farcical levels when Reds No. 8 Caleb Timu was yellow carded for ... wait for it ... making a tackle.

If there has been a softer sin-binning in the past decade, the meagre crowd of 11.034 at Suncorp Stadium and those Sky Sports viewers laughing at their screens can't remember it.

Just as well the Reds uncorked a stirring, line-in-the-sand night where their whole season was on the line and they triumphed.

Don't look at the Reds being outdone two-tries-to-none by the ACT Brumbies. The Queenslanders dominated the match in just about every other area and the 18-10 win was a rousing endorsement of coach Brad Thorn's youth policy.

The Reds smashed the Brumbies in the scrum with replacement prop JP Smith a beacon and scrambled superbly in defence.

Scoring any of the four genuine try chances they created in the opening 21 minutes would have made the scoreline more fitting.

The Reds won this game playing the final 14 minutes with six players in the pack who were 21 or younger, standout prop Taniela Tupou, Izack Rodda, Liam Wright, Alex Mafi, teenager Harry Hockings and Angus Scott-Young.

"What will bring back crowds is what they saw tonight ... they saw Queenslanders remembering who Queenslanders are wearing the jersey with pride," a delighted Thorn said.

"I just love seeing Queenslanders going at it.

"Taniela Tupou was huge at tight-head prop. He's 21 and he'll be at his peak at 31.

Skipper James Slipper, off early with a back spasm, saluted the youth brigade: "The character we showed and the young guys not looking out of place at all is the special bit about this win."

Thorn was exasperated at the Timu call: "Sure, get rid of the blatant stuff but let's enjoy some contact. I mean you look around the world and mixed martial arts is going gangbusters."

Tupou was magnificent as the Reds took the Brumbies on at their strength in the pack and beat them. He wound up those palm-trunk legs and crashed ahead explosively and when out wide his neat hands should have produced a try for winger Eto Nabuli, who inexplicably lost the ball in a fine Joe Powell tackle.

The winning points all came from the boot with halfback James Tuttle kicking three penalty goals and Lance kicking another three at 100 per cent.

The Reds dominated most of the first half in highly-encouraging style to lead 6-5 with Lance, having a much improved game, and winger Chris Feauai-Sautia producing excellent moments.

Then came the moment where rugby died as a contact sport.

Brumbies fullback Tom Banks was struggling to free himself from a low tackle by Feauai-Sautia when Timu came in to finish off the tackle.

He hit Banks in the midriff with his shoulder, with a tucked left arm and a dangling right arm, which warranted play-on.

Instead, TMO George Ayoub and referee Angus Gardner decided it was a "cynical infringement" and issued a yellow card that not a single referee in South Africa or New Zealand will replicate this round or this season.

Rugby's policemen have gone mad.

Thank goodness, the fight, tackling zeal and determination in the young Reds ranks showed just 11,034 fans that they need to invite friends along to support the spirit to this team.

Powell darted over after quick ruck ball and No. 8 Isi Naisarani did the same from a late scrum to put pressure on at 15-10 with five minutes to play.

REDS 18 (J Tuttle 3 pen goals, J Lance 3 pen goals) bt BRUMBIES 10 (J Powell, I Naisarani tries)