SYDNEY -- The Waratahs' Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes are hanging by the barest of threads, after they were pipped 28-21 in a see-sawing local derby that will have both inspired and concerned keen onlooker Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt in near equal measure.
Just under 24 hours on from when the British & Irish Lions unveiled their squad at a sparkling event in London, Schmidt watched Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii depart Allianz Stadium in a medicab, while Waratahs coach Dan McKellar hung his head as his side butchered a late chance to set themselves up victory -- and then finished up back downfield having conceded the game's defining five-pointer a few minutes later.
That was provided by a sumptuous cross-kick by Filipo Daugunu -- who was playing his first game in weeks -- that Lachie Anderson picked up perfectly in stride with just four minutes to play.
While the Waratahs had a couple of chances to push for a try in the run to fulltime, the lineout failed them and their maul was ineffectual; though referee James Doleman could have so easily awarded a scrum penalty right out in front of the sticks that would have allowed NSW to apply further pressure.
But it didn't eventuate, and on a night when they opened up an early 14-0 lead, they finished with just a solitary bonus point and a first loss at home in 2025.
The early indications were that Suaalii had suffered only a serious head knock, the fullback collecting Kellaway's right knee in a dose of friendly fire as he tried to add his weight to a messy ruck out by the left touchline.
The entire Australian rugby community will be sweating on news that the game's star recruit is okay, but he will certainly not face the Crusaders back at the same venue in eight days' time.
In a good sign, the 21-year-old flicked teammate Tane Edmed a thumbs-up as he was wheeled slowly past just before halftime.
"Concussion, he's gone home with his mum and dad, so he's improved," McKellar said. "But it's a concussion... I don't think there are any x-rays, that hasn't been mentioned. I don't know what his background is, if he's had many at the Roosters or not."
The Reds, meanwhile, shored up their position in the top four, despite losing fly-half Tom Lynagh to a head knock of his own at halftime. But deputy Harry McLaughlin-Phillips again impressed, and Wallabies coach-elect Les Kiss is fortunate to have such a competent back-up.
After last week's devastating loss to Fijian Drua, this was a vital win for Queensland's hopes of finishing inside the top four, particularly after the Blues recorded a crushing win of their own in Suva earlier on Friday.
Fraser McReight, meanwhile, enjoyed his best game since returning from a shoulder injury. The Wallabies No. 7 had been unable to imprint himself with any great significance after returning a few weeks ago, but he was brilliant in Sydney in a ding-dong openside battle with Charlie Gamble.
The twin No. 7s exchanged turnovers throughout the contest, McReight securing one brilliant steal just as it looked like the Waratahs' early advantage could stretch to 21-0. Instead, the Reds hoofed the ball downfield from the turnover, and had a try through Tate McDermott only minutes later.
"I just saw Charlie outside, I thought he was pretty good over the ball and Fraser matched him, even though we were on the back foot with that physicality early," Kiss said.
"Fraser came up with a couple of key turnovers, there were some key moments without the ball and with the ball that were critical for us tonight when we got those things right.
"But Fraser, when you get a knock like what he had in his position, there was always going to be a time to get through that for us.
"Onwards and upwards for him from now. He was bloody brilliant, bloody brilliant tonight."
While Schmidt will have loved what he saw from McReight, out-of-form prop Taniela Tupou will likely be keeping him up at night.
Tupou had earlier Friday given an incredibly honest interview to the Sydney Morning Herald, acknowledging just how badly he had been playing and offering up few answers as to how to rectify it.
On Friday night he was introduced into the action in the first half because of a yellow card to Daniel Botha, and immediately proved destructive at scrum time. When he returned in the second stanza, Tupou crossed for the Waratahs' third try in the left-hand corner with one of his trademark short charges.
He also looked busier in general play and even attempted to get on the ball at the breakdown. However, in what proved to be a crushing late blow for the Waratahs, he was yellow-carded following a TMO review for foul play, with the video showing clear head-on-head contact with Reds centre Dre Pakeho.
The one-man advantage proved too much for the Waratahs to contain, with Anderson's late strike the difference on a night when the play at times defined the insipid conditions - and the 18,945 went home holding their breath that Suaalii's time away from the game is little more than a week.