The Brumbies produced one of the biggest upsets of the Super Rugby season by ending pacesetters Queensland's home streak with a 22-14 victory on Saturday night.

It was 13th time unlucky for the Reds at Suncorp Stadium, as the battling Brumbies finally clicked into gear for a richly-deserved win - just their third of 2011 - in a brutal clash.

Rubbing salt into the competition leader's wounds was a worrying injury to tackle-busting Test winger Digby Ioane, who was knocked out cold in the second half by No.8 Ita Vaea.

Ioane wasn't the only high-profile casualty, with halfback Will Genia limping off late in the match and Brumbies lock Mark Chisholm suffering a leg injury.

Matt Giteau sent the 27,378-strong Brisbane crowd home even unhappier when he slotted a post-hooter penalty to deny the Reds a bonus point.

Queensland (58) are just one point ahead of the second-placed Stormers and three ahead of New Zealand's top side, the Blues (55).

Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore, unwanted halfback Pat Phibbs and Chisholm were outstanding for the 13th-placed visitors, who pressured the Reds with their defensive line speed from the outset.

"For us it was a huge show of character," said captain Giteau.

Looking to lock up a top-two spot for the finals, Queensland felt the pressure once they dropped behind 19-6 in the 20th minute.

The Brumbies also unsettled the Reds with their ferocity at the breakdown, as injured flanker Beau Robinson was missed and Queensland failed to build momentum in attack.

Reds skipper James Horwill refused to use fatigue as an excuse after his side looked flat following last Sunday's epic 17-16 win over the Crusaders.

The Brumbies stunned the home side in the first half, firstly pulling a selection surprise by moving hard-running fullback Pat McCabe to inside centre and then playing a far more direct attacking game.

Averaging just one try a match over the past month, the Brumbies attack clicked into gear with hooker Stephen Moore posting the game's opening try midway through the first half.

Instead of running side to side and failing to dent the line, phase after phase the visitors cracked the advantage line and recycled the ball quickly, eventually allowing Phibbs to snipe and combine with Vaea to put Moore over under the posts.

Down 19-6 just before the break, the Reds went to the interval more upbeat when Brumbies fullback Christian Lealiifano failed to pounce on opposite number Ben Lucas, who stumbled before the line but regained his feet to score for a 19-11 scoreline at the break.

Both sides botched almost certain tries within three minutes after the break, but Brumbies flanker Mitch Chapman should have definitely put his team ahead by 13 in the 46th minute when he put a hand into touch as he crossed in the corner.

The Brumbies' sweet success was tarnished by Chisholm's knee injury - a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament which requires a reconstruction and will force him out of this year's World Cup.

Coach Tony Rea and Giteau lavished praise on the France-bound Wallabies lock's wonderful efforts in what will be his last game for the Brumbies.

"That will be the last time he takes that (Brumbies) shirt off and he had a terrific game," Rea said.

Ioane was taken to hospital for a precautionary x-ray and scans but Reds medics believed the winger suffered no other serious damage apart from concussion in Vaea's tackle, for which he was cited.

Fullback Lucas is also in grave doubt for next Friday's trip to Perth to play the Western Force after injuring his knee late in the game.

Horwill described the 16th Super Rugby loss in 18 matches to Queensland's bogey side as one of the most brutal games of the season.

"It certainly was physical and they came out to play and came out to get stuck in and we slipped off some easy tackles," he said.

"We need to bounce back from that as a team because there's pride we take in our performance and tonight it wasn't good enough."

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