The ACT Brumbies have got their 2002 Super 12 season off to a winning start with a 29-19 victory over the Reds in Canberra.

It was a typical Brumbies victory ... forced to soak up a tremendous amount of pressure before securing victory through a mountain of possession as the opposition tackled itself to a standstill.

The Brumbies trailed 13-6 after 35 minutes, but a try either side of half-time gave the home side a match-winning 21-13 lead four minutes into the second half.

The game had all the intensity of an Australian derby and it was only some desperate Queensland defence that prevented the Brumbies from opening up a larger lead. By half-time, the Brumbies held a 46-16 advantage at the breakdown by half-time and showed tremendous continuity at times with several passages of play going to seven phases and beyond.

And in the end, the amount of tackling asked of the Queenslanders proved too much with their energy all but sapped in the final 10 minutes.

The Reds' Elton Flatley and the Brumbies' Stirling Mortlock shared early penalties for a 6-all scoreline, but the Brumbies would have expected to dominate when Reds prop Nick Stiles was sent to the sinbin for rucking an opponent in the 19th minute.

However, it was the Reds who crossed for the first try when fullback Chris Latham finished off a length-of-the-field break by Ben Tune that included a chip-and-regather over opposite winger Mark Bartholomeusz.

But it soon became obvious through sheer weight of possession that the Brumbies would eventually break through despite the valiant Reds defence. It was no surprise when hooker Jeremy Paul fell over the line in the 34th minute to reduce the Reds' lead to 13-11. Winger Andrew Walker landed a penalty on half-time to give the Brumbies a 14-13 lead at the break.

The Brumbies were forced to make one change during the break with Tim Atkinson replacing inside-centre Pat Howard, who was struggling with a cork. Atkinson made an immediate impact when he stepped several attempted tacklers to score the Brumbies' second try in the 43rd minute from 20m out.

But two penalties from Flatley reduced the Brumbies' lead to 21-19 ensuring an exhausting final 20 minutes.

Brumbies five-eighth Stephen Larkham landed a rare field-goal to extend the lead to 24-19, but at no stage could the Brumbies feel safe, and even when winger Graeme Bond extended the lead to 29-19 with 10 minutes remaining.

But the Reds weren't finished and Wendell Sailor, who made a very promising Super 12 debut, looked to be over in the 75th minute but had the ball stripped from his possession by Gregan over the line.

Scoreboard

ACT BRUMBIES 29
Tries: Tim Atkinson, Jeremy Paul, Graeme Bond.
Goals: Stirling Mortlock 2 pens, con, Andrew Walker pen, Stephen Larkham field goal.

QUEESLAND REDS 19
Tries: Chris Latham.
Goals: Elton Flatley 4 pens, con.