Reds make semifinals with win over Waratahs

Reds 25 Waratahs 20

SYDNEY - The Reds progressed to the Super 12 semifinals with a 25-20 win over the fellow Australians the Waratahs last night.

Their fifth successive victory secured fourth position ahead of the Highlanders, who earlier beat the Crusaders 26-21.

Reds now play Australia's other team, the Brumbies, in the semifinals. Brumbies finished on top of the standings for the second year running.

The winner of that match will play either South Africa's Cats or Sharks in the final, to be played in Canberra.

Lock John Eales, prop Nick Stiles and replacement winger Junior Pelesasa all scored tries for the Reds, who lost five of their first six games before turning their season around.

"It's a great effort from the guys, they really turned it around," Eales said.

"Some of those early losses were very unfortunate but I think we proved our worth throughout the season and it's great to be in the semis."

The match was played in front of 35,000 fans, the biggest ever attendance at an Australian Super 12 clash.

Queensland led 14-13 at halftime and 25-13 deep into the second half but had to withstand a late comeback to reach the semifinals for the third time in six years.

Needing to win the game to have any chance of making the playoffs for the first time, the Waratahs reduced the deficit to just five points when winger Scott Staniforth dived over six minutes from fulltime to add to Jono West's earlier try.

But they failed to score again as the Reds held on for victory.

"It was a gutsy effort, it was full of spirit, especially the last 20 minutes but it wasn't one of our best games," Waratahs coach Bob Dwyer said.

"We've got a lot to build on, we obviously need some more players too but we have a lot of young blokes who will be a year older and a year better for the experience this year."

- REUTERS