The NSW Waratahs have defeated the Queensland Reds 21-14 to retain the Santos Cup in their pre-season game at Gallas Fox Park in Roma.
After a power outage in the regional community delayed kick-off by more than an hour, the two sides went on to light-up the country crowd in the centrepiece of the annual Santos Festival of Rugby.
After a slow start, the Reds clicked into gear courtesy of some set-piece dominance with the return of Alex Mafi and Taniela Tupou but Queensland failed to find a third and decisive try to steal a last-minute draw.
Waratahs backrower Lachie Swinton won the Cuppiadge Medal as man of the match in recognition of Dr John Loftus Cuppaidge.
Dr Cuppaidge captained a team of locals from Roma against NSW in their first regional tour game in Queensland in 1883.
The Reds were put under pressure in the opening stages and NSW capitalised with back-to-back tries through Alex Newsome and Ben Donaldson for a 14-0 lead after just 12 minutes.
Things went from bad to worse for Queensland.
A lack of discipline inside their own-22 saw Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Dane Zander sent to the sin-bin in the backend of the first half. The Reds went to the break trailing by two converted tries.
They needed just two minutes in the second half to open their account, however.
A deft Spencer Jeans short-ball to Harry Wilson saw the rampaging number-eight crash over under the posts to reduce the deficit to seven.
Bringing a bigger playing squad to Roma than the Reds – and in scenes resembling an American football match – the Waratahs replaced most of their XV and, with fresh legs, powered over for their third try of the night in the 56th minute.
After coughing-up the ball over the try line, Spencer Jeans made sure he wasn’t denied a second time when he picked-up the scraps off the base of a ruck to score in the 68th minute.
In his first match playing in Queensland colours, Lawson Creighton converted the extras to trail 21-14 inside the final 10 minutes but it was as close as they would get.
New South Wales Waratahs 21
Tries: Newsome, Donaldson, Edmed
Conversions: Donaldson 2, Edmed
Queensland Reds 14
Tries: Wilson, Jeans
Conversions: Daugunu, Creighton
