Reds coach Ewen McKenzie has rated Queensland's hoodoo-busting win over NSW as significant but admits his competition pace-setters still have work ahead to claim Australian rugby supremacy.

Queensland produced a gut-busting second-half defensive effort at Suncorp Stadium to hold on for their first Templeton Cup victory in seven years with a gutsy 19-15 triumph.

The surging Reds set a franchise record streak of seven straight wins to stay on top of the Super Rugby table and also open up a significant 11-point advantage over their arch-rivals in the Australian conference.

But even with the injury-hit Waratahs now under pressure in the play-off race, McKenzie denied the "special" victory had allowed his rising side to steal the baton from his former side as the country's premier provincial outfit.

"They've been the form Australian team for the last six or seven seasons, they've dominated Australian rugby and been the most consistent side so to knock off a team like that you are going into new territory," he said.

"I think we've made progress. On the basis of Saturday night it's pretty tight and given they've been so consistent you can't say the baton's been passed but at least we're showing we're in contention and that's a good space.

"The wins that change history a little bit, they're important.

"We'll enjoy our moment and move on."

Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper scored all of Queensland's 19 points, including the only try of the match with a stunning 50m solo effort, iced with a double backflip in-goal, but their triumph was due to a remarkable second-half defensive effort.

The Waratahs appeared set to score countless times but their inability to convert 85 per cent of field position and possession into points has left them vulnerable in seventh place on the ladder on 28 points - 11 behind the Reds.

Yet even with strike weapon Drew Mitchell suffering a season-ending foot injury, Waratahs coach Chris Hickey isn't about to give up on securing top spot in the Australian conference, which guarantees the No.1 side a home play-off.

"There's a lot of football to still be played and we're just at the halfway mark of the competition and I know the Reds have got some hard games in front of them," said Hickey.

While the Waratahs are six points outside the top six, the Western Force (20) did NSW a huge favour by upsetting the eighth-placed Bulls 26-21 in Perth, leaving the defending champions from South Africa on 22 points.

Despite only enjoying two wins in a forgettable season, the Brumbies (21) sit close behind in 10th after enjoying a bye before travelling to South Africa without Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom who continues to struggle with his chronic hamstring problem.

The Melbourne Rebels dropped to 12th with their disappointing 40-23 loss to the Blues (39) who have grabbed top spot in the New Zealand conference after a weakened Crusaders outfit was upset by South Island rivals the Highlanders 26-18.

The Stormers (37) remain on top of the South African conference thanks to a bye but the Sharks (34) narrowed the gap with a 40-24 bonus-point win over the Hurricanes.

NZ's Chiefs were the big movers of round 10 with a 34-30 win over the luckless Lions propelling them to ninth.

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