Carter Gordon had sealed a try of the year contender and was setting about piloting the Queensland Reds to a shock triumph over the almighty Crusaders when, suddenly, he was writhing in agony.
The leading contender to take the Wallabies’ five-eighth jumper now faces a nervous wait to determine the extent of a knee injury suffered in his side’s 31-26 win against the juggernauts of New Zealand. He was limping badly and his leg was placed in a brace.
It was a bittersweet moment in an otherwise enthralling encounter, particularly given he had surged into reckoning as the leading contender to clinch Australia’s No.10 jumper once Queensland coach Les Kiss takes the national reins at the end of the Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Gordon’s setback will leave the Reds hopeful that Tom Lynagh will be fit to return after next week’s bye, having been held back due to a niggling hamstring issue before falling ill, with Harry McLaughlin-Phillips also showing impressive signs as a starter.
“I spoke to Carter afterwards, and we just don’t know,” Kiss said when asked for Gordon’s prognosis.
“He went into the contact, he felt nothing when he came out, then he stood up and walked, and he felt a little bit uneasy and in pain. I’d be guessing if I said something now.
“[Lynagh] missed the first part of the week through a bit of illness again, but he’s got this week and the bye week to work hard, so he’s got to put his hand up and train well.”
Until his injury, Gordon had been performing strongly to help expose gaps in the Crusaders’ defence, with only the Reds’ ball control keeping them from inflicting serious carnage on their Kiwi rivals.
His try was something truly magical: one that included a Filipo Daugunu linebreak, an intercept from each team, and an audacious left-foot kick from No.8 Harry Wilson, which proved perfectly weighted for Gordon to dive on after a race for the ball.
That effort gave Queensland their first lead, after the Crusaders opened the scoring through Christian Lio-Willie, only for some swift blindside work on a rolling maul from skipper Fraser McReight to square the ledger.
“I think that’s just a reflection of what this team does represent; it’s always searching for moments to find a way to make it work for themselves. They don’t die wondering for sure,” Kiss said when reflecting on the miracle try.
“It wasn’t neat and tidy the whole game, and that type of moment probably reflected that. You’ve still got to find a way and fight hard for things.”
Gordon appeared as though he was destined to guide his team home in the second term, with a break and kick from Kalani Thomas leading to Tim Ryan’s try to break a 14-all deadlock, and the Reds thought they had extended their lead from the kick-off through Jock Campbell.
Replays showed the fullback knocked on attempting to ground the ball while being tackled by two defenders after he supported Filipo Daugunu’s break, but that was quickly a side piece to the vision of Gordon being supported from the ground by two trainers.
While the Crusaders levelled things up again shortly after his departure, his troops were able to get the job done – Daugunu crossing from close range to celebrate his 100th Super Rugby cap, before Louis Werchon swooped on a loose ball and sprinted 60 metres to seal the clash.
It was the ideal show of resilience for Kiss’ men, who has been reeling from two straight defeats to the Hurricanes and Force in which they conceded a combined 94 points.
The exchange of No.9s between Thomas and Werchon, both producing game-defining moments, has certainly relieved the absence of Wallabies halfback Tate McDermott, who is yet to feature this year after undergoing surgery on a severe hamstring tear sustained against the All Blacks last year.
Kiss remained unsure if McDermott would be fit to make his comeback after the bye, but stressed the remaining duo had the tools to guide the Reds through to a premiership tilt.
“It’s taking the right amount of time it has to, and it’s hard because we want to be optimistic with him, and we’re talking about these medical processes and the rehab, but he is not batting an eyelid,” Kiss said.
“He’s just doing his work, he’s a great resource for us, super helpful and a big part of the leadership group. I see him in the gym all the time, and he’s working his bollocks off to try and get this next strength marker going.
“We’d love to have him for sure, but the two boys are doing a pretty good job at the moment.”
