The Queensland Reds have completed a first season-derby double over the ACT Brumbies to surge into the Super Rugby Pacific top four.

The Reds' spirited and seesawing 30-21 victory in Brisbane on Saturday night also consigned the Brumbies to three straight defeats for the first time since 2018, continuing Stephen Larkham's side slippery slide down the ladder. 

The Reds' great respect for the Brumbies ultimately - and ironically - secured the win at Suncorp Stadium, with three successful penalty goals from flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips proving the difference in the nine-point win.

The Reds have been dogged trailblazers for spurning penalty-goal attempts to instead shoot for tries in recent seasons. Indeed, the only time this season they have opted for penalty goals have been against the Brumbies.

In denying the Brumbies even a bonus point, the Reds not only leap-frogged Australia's perennial benchmark outfit. The Brumbies' sixth loss from their past eight matches leaves Larkham's men precariously placed in sixth spot four weeks out from the finals.

Queensland, though, are flying after edging above the defending champion Crusaders into fourth spot. 

Reds mentor and soon-to-be Wallabies coach Les Kiss would have been especially impressed with Australia's second-row stocks after opposing locks Lachlan Shaw and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto traded early tries.

A storming Salakaia-Loto charged over in the sixth minute to offset Shaw's pick-and-go effort.

McLaughlin-Phillips broke the deadlock with his first penalty goal. In a coach killer for Larkham, the Reds extended their lead to 10 points on the stroke of halftime when Josh Flook pounced on Kalani Thomas's beautifully-weighted grubber kick into the Brumbies in-goal area.

Another McLaughlin-Phillips penalty looked to have put the Reds in control with a 13-point buffer before flanker and Wallabies captain Harry Wilson spilt the ball from the restart, inviting the Brumbies back into the contest.

Dual John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini didn't need a second invitation, crossing to reduce the deficit to six points.

Then surging centre David Feliuai forced his way over to put the Brumbies back in front. But, despite squandering four straight lineout throws, the Reds weathered the storm.

Lock Seru Uru steadied the ship with the Reds' third try before McLaughlin-Phillips' third penalty put the nail in the Brumbies' coffin in Tom Wright's milestone 100th Super match.

Queensland Reds 30 (Tries: Salakaia-Loto, Flook, Uru; Cons: McLaughlin-Phillips 3; McLaughlin-Phillips 2, Volvavola) def ACT Brumbies 21 (Tries: Shaw, Valetini, Feliuai; Cons: R. Lonergan 3)

Teams:

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Nick Bloomfield, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Louis Werchon, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Treyvon Pritchard

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (captain), 8 Toby Macpherson, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Rhys van Nek, 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Ollie Sapsford

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Referees: Todd Petrie, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly