Rugby-Reds' Cooper slots late penalty to down Crusaders

SYDNEY, May 29 (Reuters) - Quade Cooper booted a last-minute
penalty to allow the table-topping Queensland Reds to snatch a
17-16 victory over seven-time champions the Canterbury Crusaders
in a pulsating Super rugby tie in Brisbane on Sunday.   

Canterbury captain Richie McCaw was penalised for using his
hands in a ruck deep in Crusaders' territory, directly in front
of the posts, and the Reds flyhalf nervelessly split the middle
to the delight of a parochial crowd of 48,000 at Lang Park.   

In a match billed as a World Cup preview between New Zealand
and Australia's chief playmakers, Dan Carter had the measure of
counterpart Cooper for much of the match, and booted two late
penalties to put the Crusaders two points ahead with seven
minutes left.   

However, Cooper had the final say, slotting home the winning
kick seconds before the hooter after missing all three of his
previous penalty attempts. 

McCaw, whose side was punished by Australian referee Stu
Dickinson for ill-discipline throughout, was left to rue his
lapse that ultimately cost his side the match. 

"You can't afford to do that, can you?" the All Black
skipper said in a televised interview. 

"It was a good old match... I thought we played some pretty
smart rugby, especially in the first half. We perhaps didn't get
the reward we could have got... But yeah, you can't afford to be
ill-disciplined." 

The result firms Queensland's position at top of the
standings and leaves the Crusaders fourth in the table, well in
contention for a playoff berth with three rounds of the regular
season remaining. 

The Crusaders had the best of a frenetic first half,
counter-rucking furiously and forcing a nervous Reds lineup into
a raft of handling errors. 

Carter booted a penalty for the match's first score after
the Crusaders' bullied their opponents in a scrum, but the Reds
steadied with a try to inside centre Ben Tapuai that had the
visiting fans howling injustice. 


INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE 

After receiving from captain James Horwill at the back of a
lineout near the Crusaders' 22-yard line, scrumhalf Will Genia
appeared to slip a forward pass to Tapuai who gleefully crossed
left of the posts in the 22nd minute. 

Unfazed, the Crusaders hit back seven minutes later through
a piece of individual brilliance from Carter. 

The All Black flyhalf ripped the ball out of outside centre
Anthony Faingaa's grasp in a tackle, then fed Robbie Fruean, who
burst through the Reds line and sprinted 40 metres before
off-loading to winger Brent Ward to touch down in the right
corner. 

The Crusaders' smothering pressure appeared to tell on the
more inexperienced Reds, with hooker Saia Faingaa making a mess
of his line-out throws and Cooper spraying three penalty kicks
to allow the visitors a 10-7 lead at the break. 

A more composed Reds side emerged in the second half and the
enterprising Genia stole back the lead after a rare lapse by the
Crusaders forwards. 

After losing a scrum on the right wing, the Crusaders' pack
were slow to their feet, allowing Genia to snatch the ball from
a ruck and charge into space at the right corner for the Reds'
second try in the 45th minute. 

Cooper overcame his kicking wobbles to convert and put the
Reds 14-10 up. 

The game descended into a grim arm wrestle for the next 20
minutes before the Crusaders ratcheted up the pressure again,
winning a penalty for offside after a seven-phase assault on the
try-line. 

Carter's straight kick trimmed the deficit to a point with
11 minutes left, and swung the momentum firmly back to the
Crusaders. 

With the hosts clearly tiring, the Crusaders forwards
battered the Reds forward pack, winning a second penalty kick in
the 74th minute to snatch the lead back and set the match up for
its dramatic finale. 

After Cooper's penalty goal, Carter sent the re-start kick
into Genia's arms and the scrumhalf booted the ball into touch
to seal the win and hand his captain a welcome 26th birthday
gift. 

"Probably the best birthday present I've received in this
world... it was a good night," a thrilled Horwill said. 

"We know the Crusaders are a quality side... We knew they'd
keep coming, but credit to the boys, we just kept going."