NSW skipper Phil Waugh claimed his side was robbed after the Waratahs' seven-year streak over Queensland ended in dramatic fashion at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

The Reds somehow held firm to survive a torrid NSW scrummaging onslaught in front of the biggest Australian crowd of the season and put the Waratahs' Super Rugby finals hopes on a knife-edge with a 19-15 win .

The home side notched a franchise record seventh straight win with a tense triumph where NSW camped on the Queensland line for the bulk of the second half without breaking through.

From the 50th minute to the 70th play hardly left the Reds' 22 as the Waratahs powerful, experienced pack dictated terms in the scrum but all they reaped was three points from a penalty goal to trail 16-15 with eight minute left.

Often it appeared a pushover try or penalty try was only one scrum or collapse away but Queensland's reserve front row scrambled gallantly, with replacement hooker James Hanson a hero.

Waugh, who was replaced at the 65-minute mark, finished the match livid with the refereeing of Ian Smith, who replaced a lame Steve Walsh (calf) at halftime.

The flanker argued Smith should have rewarded the Waratahs' dominant scrum with a penalty try, and also claimed centre Tom Carter scored a legitimate try which was denied by television match official Steve Leszczynski.

"We were on our way to (a penalty try)," he said, referring to a string of two penalties and two other resets on the Reds line in 51st minute.

"We were clearly the dominant scrum and there was no question at all.

"You've got to reward dominance."

Waugh said Carter was adamant he scored from a 70th-minute driving maul which would have put the Waratahs in the lead at 17-16 and with a kick to come.

"He thinks he scored it and everyone around him thought he scored it," Waugh said.

Despite the controversy, Queensland were superior in all other facets of the game and coach Ewen McKenzie lauded his side's brave second-half rearguard.

"A lot of games are determined by skill, some get determined by character and fortitude and tonight was one of the latter," McKenzie said.

Skipper James Horwill, who had never beaten NSW before in six previous matches, said he couldn't ask any more from his team which was jubilant at finally scratching the seven-year glitch.

"They were making tackle after tackle and just bouncing up and it was really inspiring to see that," he said.

"The true grit and the never-say-die attitude, I know it's a cliche, but that's why there was the raw emotion at the end."

While halfback Will Genia was a stand-out, Reds playmaker Quade Cooper scored all Queensland's points, including a brilliant 34th-minute solo try, to grab the Templeton Cup for the first time since 2004.

The Reds (39) win keeps them on top of the competition table and gives them a 11-point lead over their NSW arch-rivals (28) on top of the Australian conference.

Making the Waratahs' finals quest even tougher is the fact they will have to do it without in-form winger Drew Mitchell who broke his leg and dislocated his right ankle in a sickening first-half incident when he fell chasing a Luke Burgess kick.

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