Brumbies pull-off biggest Super Rugby upset so far this season with win on NZ soil
The Brumbies have stunned the Chiefs 26-14, putting a week of health uncertainty behind them in an emphatic trans-Tasman Super Rugby boilover.
In a clash of two conference-leading teams, the Brumbies played one of their most compelling halves of rugby in Hamilton on Saturday to lead 19-0 at the break, before repelling the home side’s threat of a comeback.
The Brumbies hadn’t won in New Zealand since 2014 – and not in Hamilton since 2007 – but played inspired rugby from the outset, running in a fourth unanswered try early in the second half to go 26 points clear.
Two quickfire tries got the Chiefs back in contention with 25 minutes still to play but they couldn’t cross again, handing them a first loss under new coach Warren Gatland.
Memories of last week’s last-gasp home loss to the Highlanders drove the Brumbies during the final quarter, captain Allan Alaalatoa said.
“I think the boys were just holding on to that grudge from last week and how lost the game in the last two minutes,” he told Sky TV.
“We definitely knew that the Chiefs would come back hard in the second half, which they did. We did really well to hold them out there.”
The Canberra side’s performance was all the more remarkable given a mumps outbreak that struck about 10 days ago, rendering some squad members unable to make the trans-Tasman trip.
Alaalatoa said it affected their preparations.
David Havili's scintillating early Super Rugby form continued on Friday as he captained the @crusadersrugby to a convincing 33-13 victory over the Highlanders. #SuperRugby https://t.co/taUFPFmaRr
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 22, 2020
“But everyone that travelled was cleared, that was the most important thing. I’m just looking forward to seeing the boys who were affected back home.”
Wallabies props Alaalatoa and James Slipper helped establish early control up front, along with some powerful work from young flanker Rob Valetini and centre Tevita Kuridrani.
Rookie five-eighth Noah Lolesio threw a handful of expert offloads to create space and lively fullback Tom Banks was a beneficiary with the opening try.
Quick hands from Banks set up winger Solomone Kata s oon afterwards before a try-scoring double to standout No.8 Pete Samu either side of halftime.
The first came through a dominant scrum and the second via the back-rower’s athleticism, slicing past three tacklers on a 30m run.
Starved of ball, the flustered Chiefs committed basic mistakes and fell off tackles.
They began to hold possession and the Brumbies conceded a run of penalties, one of which resulted in a yellow card to Slipper for a professional foul.
Aaron Cruden and Anton Lienert-Brown crossed for tries but it didn’t help the post-match mood of Chiefs captain Sam Cane, who said his team “were pretty much still on the bus” throughout the first half.
“Credit to the Brumbies side. They came here desperate with some real hunger, and right from the first whistle pretty much to the 80th, they beat us to the punch,” All Blacks flanker Cane said.
“We were a little bit shellshocked and it wasn’t until that 45th-50th minute that we kicked into gear, but not for long enough.”
– AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
No surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to comments