The Queensland Reds have turned in a valiant team-effort to prevail over the Bulls, 19-12, in an epic encounter at Suncorp Stadium.
The Reds attacked with ceaseless vigour throughout the match, spreading the ball from sideline to sideline and scoring enough points to cover a fighting comeback from their South Africans counterparts.
Having lost only one of their last 14 games the Bulls entered the game as favourites, but could never build serious momentum as Queensland's aggressive running game kept the defending Super 14 champions backpedalling.
The Reds showed an immediate inclination to spread the ball and within the first three minutes both Queensland wingers, Rod Davies and Digby Ioane, had touches.
But it was the Bulls' running game which paid dividends early after second rower Derick Kuun crashed over to capitalise on some enterprising ball movement and strong running from his backs.
The Reds showed they wouldn't be discouraged and their expansive play continued throughout the opening stages, with Genia providing his backlines with plenty of quick service.
Twenty minutes in to the contest the Bulls were penalised deep in their own territory for collapsing the maul, but Cooper failed to register the first points for the Reds, hooking his penalty attempt past the left-hand upright.
Fortunately for the Reds the weight of possession finally converted to points in the 29th minute when gutsy second rower Scott Higginbotham ran 60 meters to miraculously outpace the Bulls backs, gather Genia's kick and slide over the line.
Cooper missed his second kick at goal to leave the Reds trailing 7-5, but with nine minutes remaining in the half it was the Bulls players struggling for breath and the Queenslanders full of momentum.
Rod Davies looked certain to be the next Queenslander over the line when Faingaa delivered him an excellent inside ball, but with only the try line in front of him the Reds speedster ran himself off his feet.
With less than a minute remaining in the first half the Reds took the lead for the first time in the match when the Bulls were penalised for holding on, and Cooper kicked his first of the match.
The Bulls had a chance to regain the lead right on the half-time buzzer, when they regained the kick-off and were awarded a penalty, but Morne Steyn missed the kicks and the Reds took the 8-7 lead to the sheds.
The Reds continued to throw everything at the Bulls after the break and South African referee, Craig Joubert, continued to draw the ire of the raucous Suncorp crowd, with only a whistle for a knock on a potential Cooper try early in the second half.
Queensland had stretched its lead to 14-7 by the 50th minute after Cooper slotted a pair of long range three-pointers after the Bulls were penalised first for folding under in the scrum and then tackling early in the line-out.
Davies was the next man to add points for the Queenslanders, after a line-out from the Bulls sailed long and into the hands of Genia who sent the ball across the Reds backline.
The final 10 minutes were full of nail-biting moments as the Bulls attacked the Queensland line, only to be held up time and again by desperate Reds defence, before a penalty in the 80th minute allowed Cooper to clear the danger.