Harry Wilson's Queensland Reds have continued their unbeaten start to the new Super Rugby AU competition holding out a valiant Western Force 31-24 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
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In what the former Gunnedah junior described post-match as "an extremely tough game" the Force stunned the home side early jumping out to a 14-nil lead. But the Reds rallied, scoreing three tries in the space of eight minutes to hit the front with just over 10 minutes remaining in the first half.
The Force scored a late try but the Reds went into the break up by two after winger Filipo Daugunu charged down the conversion from almost in front.
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Daugunu extended the Reds lead early in the second half but the Force took advantage of a man advantage, with Paisami in the bin, to set up a nail-biting finish.
James O'Connor though again stepped up for the Reds, slotting a field goal with a minute-and-a-half on the clock to push them out to a converted try.
Speaking to the Reds media, Wilson said it was a gutsy performance.
"We felt pretty comfortable, and then with 10 minutes to go we were only up by four, a man down," he said.
"It was a gutsy effort in the end to get the win."
With the bye coming up, he said they spoke at half-time about putting everything into the second half.
"That's what we were saying at half-time, we've got 40 more minutes until we get a week off," he said.
"We've had three tough games so [it will be] good to put your feet up for a week and then get ready again for the Brumbies, week five."
He had a comparably quiet night to his barnstorming efforts the first two weeks. While the rookie No.8 was again one of the Reds top carriers (making 12 runs), he was well-contained by the Force making just eight metres.
Against the Rebels he made a game high 32 carries for 136m, and the opening week 50m from 13 runs.
The win was the Reds' first over the Force in three years (their last win was in 2015 but the Force weren't involved in Super Rugby in 2018 and 2019) and gives them two wins and a draw from their three games.
Reds coach Brad Thorn remarked post-match there is a lot more to come from his side.
"You take the win tonight but there's so much room to improve in and that's exciting," he said.
