Queensland Reds Edge Western Force, Smith Lauds Team's Grit

Queensland Reds captain Ryan Smith reacts to his team's 28-24 win over the Western Force, highlighting their resilience and depth.

Queensland Reds captain Ryan Smith urged caution and warned against complacency after his team's hard-fought 28-24 victory over the Western Force on Saturday. The win propelled the Reds to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings, but Smith was keen to keep things in perspective.

The Reds' narrow victory at Lang Park saw them overtake the Waikato Chiefs, who had previously occupied the top spot. After seven rounds, the Reds now hold a slender one-point lead over the Chiefs, with Les Kiss' side breathing down their necks.

The Queensland Reds, led by coach Brad Thorn, will face off against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday. The Reds' upcoming opponents, coached by Clayton McMillan, will be well-rested after enjoying a bye week. Reds captain Liam Smith is cautious about his team's current position, choosing not to celebrate their ascent to the top of the table with more than half of the regular season still remaining.

Ice cold Tom Lynagh 🤫 pic.twitter.com/v9ahreKO0f

— Queensland Reds (@Reds_Rugby) March 30, 2025

Smith downplayed the significance of the Reds' current standing, emphasizing the importance of sustaining their performance throughout the season. ”It's a cool achievement but there's definitely some tough games coming up,” Smith said. He acknowledged that being top of the table at this stage is meaningless if they cannot maintain their form deep into the finals. “No point being in this round and being top of the table, you've got to be deep into the finals. That's where it's important.”

The Reds' recent victory over the Force was a hard-fought one, with the match seesawing until the final minutes. Ultimately, it was replacement scrum-half Tate McDermott who scored the decisive try in the 72nd minute, securing the win for Queensland over the sixth-placed Force. Despite the challenging nature of the match, Smith is focusing on the week ahead, recognizing that the Reds face a tough test against the Chiefs. “We're setting ourselves up for the tail end of the season, which is great, but we've got to look at it week-by-week and we've got a pretty tough test next week.”

A big shift from Lipo 💪

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— Queensland Reds (@Reds_Rugby) March 31, 2025

Despite the Queensland Reds' unconvincing performance, captain Ryan Smith was relieved that his team managed to secure the win against the Western Force. The margin of victory was slim, with the Reds edging out their opponents 28-24. Smith acknowledged the sloppiness of the win but found positives in his team's ability to grind out a victory.

Smith praised his team's resilience and depth, which ultimately proved decisive in securing the win. ”It was pretty sloppy but I think that's really impressive, it showed the depth that we have and we can find the way to win deep into games,” said Smith. He emphasized the importance of this trait, stating, “That's a really important trait that the team's showing at the moment. I think the boys did a great job deep into that game.”