Queensland Reds left frustrated by another early exit from the Super Rugby Pacific finals series

News.com.au

16 hours ago

Putting in a 'great shift' is little consolation for a Queensland Reds side sick of falling at the first hurdle in the Super Rugby Pacific finals series.
For the fourth successive year, the Reds have been knocked out in the first week of the finals – each time in New Zealand – after being thumped 32-12 by the clinical Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday night.
The Crusaders also beat the Reds at the same stage of the playoffs in 2022, while it was the Chiefs who were responsible for Queensland's week one finals exits in 2023 and last year.
Queensland coach Les Kiss has no doubt his team is good enough to progress further along the finals round, but the Reds are yet to prove they are genuine contenders for the Super Rugby Pacific crown.
'This is a point that we've stopped at each year and we've got to be able to find a way to get through to that next level for sure,' Kiss said.
'We've got enough good people in the organisation, from the players right through to our professional rugby staff, so we can do it. We know that.
'I really feel for them all because they put a great shift in this year, all of them, and to finish up like this is despondent.'
Injuries didn't help the Reds' cause this season, but Kiss felt the experience gained by a host of emerging players would benefit Queensland in the future.
'We used 38 players this year. That's one thing I'm very proud of,' he said.
'We didn't have a good injury run. That happens, but the boys who stood up and came in, (centre) Dre Pakejo for one, (back-rower) Joe Brial … had a massively good year.
'Young men that keep stepping up for us, that's really pleasing. I'm very proud of the program that delivers that.'
The Reds started the season impressively and were on target to achieve their goal of a top-three ladder finish, which would have guaranteed them a qualifying final on home spoil, after being in first spot after seven rounds.
However, they lost five of their remaining eight regular season matches – including a shock 36-33 loss to Fijian Drua in Suva on May 3 – that resulted in them placing fifth on the table.
'We certainly lost a Fiji game that we shouldn't have over there … so we still have to own some of the errors that we can improve on, however it was a competition that was compelling,' Kiss said.
Reds skipper Tate McDermott said despite Friday night's loss it wasn't all 'doom and gloom' for Queensland.
'We're really disappointed that our journey again finishes in the quarter-finals, but we've just got to regroup and go again next year,' the star halfback said.