Harry Wilson and Jock Campbell were a part of history at Manly's Brookvale Oval on Friday night with the Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels playing the first-ever "Super Time" tie-breaker.
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One of several rule changes introduced for the new Super Rugby AU competition, Reds fly-half James O'Connor's after-the-siren conversion of Alex Mafi's last-minute try levelled the scores and sent the game into a rugby league-style golden point scenario.
The Reds had a chance in the final seconds of the first five-minute period of "super time" to snatch the win but Bryce Hegarty's long-range penalty attempt was just short and wide.
It was the only real chance for either side as the game finished in an 18-all draw.
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Gunnedah junior Wilson again impressed with a game high (according to Fox Sports stats) 32 carries for 136 metres. He also topped the tackle count with 27 tackles.
Inverell product Campbell meanwhile made 50 metres from 14 runs with four tackle busts.
It was a gusty performance from the Reds, who played 20 minutes of the contest down a man and trailed for the majority of the game.
"The thing that I'm proud about, which started three years ago, is the fight that's in the team," coach Brad Thorn said.
"We don't go away, but we just didn't quite get there tonight."
They struggled in the wet with their handling letting them down, but were able to assert their dominance up front, winning five scrum penalties.
"We didn't get the result in the end, but it's two points we get so we'll take it," Thorn said.
"It was a bit of a weird one really, sort of half-happy, half not."
The Reds now return to Queensland to take on the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium next Friday night.
