Brumbies vs Waratahs takes: Cometh the hour, cometh the man

The Waratahs pulled off a tense upset win over the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday night, and it was a match won by fine margins.

Scores were locked up for much of the second half after the Waratahs built a solid lead, but had it chipped away at by the persistent hosts.

Three big penalty kicks delivered the Waratahs the win despite a late try by the Brumbies, with the result keeping everyone on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder on their toes.

Here are some takeaways from the Waratahs’ win.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man

Take a bow, Sid Harvey. Three conversions early in the game made the most of all the Waratahs’ tries, contributing well to the team’s 19-7 lead after 28 minutes.

But where the 20-year-old really came into his own was down the stretch, with the game on the line.

Scores were tied at 21 apiece for 20 minutes early in the second half, and what ultimately separated these two famous rivals was the youngster’s boot. The rookie nailed one penalty in the 65th minute to give his team the lead, another in the 69th minute to inspire more desperation from the Brumbies, and a third in the 73rd minute to push the margin beyond a one-score game.

Not a single point was left out there for the Waratahs, which ultimately proved the difference in an incredibly tight match.

Making those match-defining kicks is not for everyone, and one must only cast their mind back a matter of days to see the criticism All Blacks veteran Damian McKenzie copped for failing to execute late against the same opposition in round 6.

For a kid born in 2005, 10 years after McKenzie, to have the composure to nail not one, not two, but three consecutive penalties and deliver an upset win for his side, keeping his men in the playoff picture, is a show of true Test-level poise.

As for the Brumbies, they rank ninth in the competition for goal-kicking accuracy, making 65.8 per cent of their kicks on average.

22m Entries

Avg. Points Scored

3.1

9

Entries

Avg. Points Scored

2.6

8

Entries

Ambition wins

There can be a fine line between composure and conservativeness, and one can’t help but feel the Brumbies will rue not backing themselves more after this loss.

While the Waratahs were eager to get their strike weapons, primarily Max Jorgensen, more involved after recent criticism of their lack of touches, the Brumbies were methodical, sticking to their game plan.

There were some match-breaking moments from the usual suspects, with Corey Toole’s pace and the opportunism of Charlie Cale and Andy Muirhead all shining at various moments. But the Brumbies registered just three linebreaks from their 174 carries. The Waratahs, on the other hand, generated 10 linebreaks from 102 carries.

No team carries more than the Brumbies in Super Rugby, and the club’s breakdown success rate is second to none. The Brumbies have their tried-and-true recipe for success, but in this match, there was a lack of firepower and variation to combat the Waratahs’ periods of pace.

An impasse

The hosts were playing with the ball in hand on Friday night, owning the bulk of the possession and putting the emphasis on the Waratahs’ defence. However, the Tahs were up to the task.

Forced to make 257 tackles, the visitors operated at a 93 per cent clip, winning nine turnovers in the process.

The intent and work rate of Clem Halaholo stood out, with the big blindside flanker lending his shoulder to some of the heaviest collisions on the park. The 22-year-old led the match with 22 completed tackles and just one miss.

The Brumbies missed six more tackles than their opponents despite attempting only half as many, and only won two turnovers in the match.

While in seasons gone by the Brumbies would have had their scrum to fall back on, in 2026 their scrum success rate is the second-worst in the competition.

The Brumbies now have a bye week to recalibrate and travel to Dunedin in search of a more energised performance.