Australia’s latest rugby league recruit Clinton Schifcofske scored 17 points in his Super 14 debut to steer Queensland to a 25-16 win over last year’s Super 14 finalists Wellington at Brisbane on Saturday.
The former Canberra Raiders fullback kicked five penalties and a conversion for Queensland to beat a depleted Hurricanes side and give sacked Australia coach Eddie Jones the perfect start to his new job.
Both sides scored a try, with giant flanker Mitchell Chapman crossing for the Reds in the first half and Cory Jane racing over for Wellington in the second but Queensland were deserving winners.
They dominated possession and territory with their successful pick-and-drive tactics while the Hurricanes, missing five of their All Blacks, committed too many handling errors to sustain any pressure.
Teenage flyhalf Berrick Barnes was named man of the match after kicking a long-range drop goal midway through the second half that gave the Reds a 16-point lead and effectively decided the result.
”It’s a very special win,” Barnes said in a televised interview. ”The forwards were a big part of it tonight. They laid the platform and Clinton kicked bloody well too.”
Barnes laid on the opening try when he kicked across field to the unmarked Chapman after former Wallaby Ben Tune made a strong bust.
Wellington pulled back to within nine points when Jane sprinted through a hole to score six minutes from the end but were unable to breach the gap.
”We gave away too many penalties and they made us pay,” Hurricanes lock Paul Tito said. – Reuters