The Queensland Reds showed they can mix it in the hustle and bustle of Super 14 finals rugby by grinding out a tense 16-13 victory over the Stormers on Friday night.

The Reds were forced out of their attack-at-all-costs ball-retention game against the tenacious South Africans, and had to grind out a one-try-all triumph in front of a huge Suncorp Stadium crowd.

A 30,259-strong attendance, the biggest Super 14 crowd in Brisbane since Wendell Sailor made his NSW debut against the Reds in 2006, roared themselves hoarse as their team repelled wave after wave of Stormers attacking forays in the last 15 minutes.

In the end, Queensland were unlucky not to deny the visitors a bonus point as captain courageous Will Genia was dubiously denied a 79th-minute try by the television match official.

"It was a try, I thought I got it onto the ground" Genia said after fulltime.

"It wasn't pretty, but we came home with the win."

The victory sees the Reds move to 34 points on the Super 14 table, equal with the pace-setting Bulls and Crusaders (who both have a match to play), and the Stormers.

It also ended a six-year drought against the Cape Town-based side.

Unlike the razzle-dazzle of last week's 19-12 upset of the Bulls, Genia's side had to guts it out as the Stormers asked more and more questions of their attack with ferocious work at the breakdown.

After a flat first-half performance to trail 7-6 at halftime, Queensland grabbed the ascendancy immediately after the break to shoot out to a 10-point lead.

Cooper kicked his third long-range penalty attempt in a row before putting the icing on the cake of their best passage of play in the game.

After keeping the ball for umpteen phases, Cooper cross-kicked for Will Chambers who snaffled the bouncing ball in the left corner.

But the Reds gave up six gift points with back-to-back errors in their own quarter that led to two simple penalty goals for a 16-13 scoreline with 25 minutes to play.

So disappointed he was with the lethargic opening, Reds coach Ewen McKenzie asked his troops at halftime if they "had started the game."

They were flat from the kick-off and got off on the wrong foot when Cooper kicked his first possession out on the full.

From the ensuing play centre Anthony Faingaa was knocked out in tackling Fijian winger Sireli Nagelevuki.

The wonky Faingaa eventually got to his feet and managed to save a certain try just a minute later when he grounded Andries Bekker, who ignored an unmarked Bryan Habana on his outside.

But Bekker didn't have to wait much longer as he scored under the posts in the third minute after No.8 Duane Vermuelen punished a Genia turnover.

Faingaa pulled off the most telling tackle of the night late in the second half when he again brought down the 208cm Bekker 5m from the line.

Standout flanker Daniel Braid, workaholic prop Ben Daley and abrasive lock Adam Byrnes were also towers of strength for the home side

The visitors were the dominant outfit after a tight, error-riddled first half and should have taken a four-point advantage into the break but Peter Grant missed a close-range penalty after Chambers shoulder charged Bryan Habana.

Chambers shirtfronted Habana just as he kicked ahead close to the line after the Stormers' flyer dangerously intercepted a floating Genia pass.

The Reds let themselves down with some poor handling of the greasy ball but were winning the penalty count, although Cooper missed his first two attempts at goal before kicking his next three straight.

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