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Fines' late Brumbies try leaves Waratahs paying heavy price after dominating in Sydney

By AAP
(Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The Brumbies have broken NSW Waratahs’ hearts with a nail-biting 24-23 Super Rugby AU win over their arch-rivals in Sydney. The Waratahs looked set to claim their first victory in five outings against Australia’s 2018 and 2019 conference winners only to concede a try four minutes from full-time.

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Replacement half-back Issak Fines’ late match-winner extended the Brumbies’ winning streak to six matches over all Australian opposition, stretching back to a loss to the Queensland Reds in March last year.

It was also extremely cruel on Rob Penney’s rebuilding Waratahs, who dominated for much of the match on Saturday having been humbled 47-14 by the Brumbies in the very last game before Super Rugby was suspended in March because of coronavirus.

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The Tahs paid dearly for conceding two tries in three minutes just before half-time after opening up a 20-5 lead. Despite the defeat, classy young five-eighth Will Harrison and NSW’s new-look front row of returning Wallaby Tom Robertson, starting debutant Tom Horton and Harry Johnson-Holmes were the standouts.

Earmarked as potentially the Wallabies’ next No10, Harrison set up a beautiful try for winger James Ramm and slotted three penalties and two conversions for a 13-point personal haul.

His head-to-head tussle with fellow former Australian U20s star Noah Lolesio only lasted half an hour before Lolesio limped off with a hamstring injury. The Waratahs suffered a blow even before kick-off, with reserve prop Angus Bell ruled out after hurting his back in the warm-up.

It was a tough setback for the Brumbies, who only 15 minutes earlier lost Wallabies prop James Slipper after he failed a HIA. The visitors had a ready-made replacement in Test star Scott Sio, but it didn’t stop NSW’s new-look front row from dominating at scrum time.

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The Brumbies turned down a gift three points early, opting against taking a penalty goal attempt from right in front and the gamble paid off. Instead, Tom Cusack opened the scoring with a try in the fifth minute after Harrison spilt Lolesio’s crossfield bomb straight into the flanker’s arms.

Harrison atoned with two penalties to edge the Waratahs ahead 6-5 as the home team gained the ascendancy. Enjoying all the momentum and with the Brumbies down to 14 men after winger Andy Muirhead was yellow-carded for a deliberate offside trying to thwart an attacking raid, the Tahs extended their advantage when hooker Horton marked his starting debut with a five-pointer from the back of a driving maul.

Harrison’s inch-perfect kick for Ramm earned the Waratahs their second try and suddenly the underdogs had a 15-point buffer after 29 minutes.

The Brumbies’ predicament threatened to go from bad to worse when Lolesio departed but instead of losing their way, they clawed their way back into the contest with two tries in three minutes to hooker Folau Faingaa and flanker Robbie Valenti to trail by just three points at the break.

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NSW WARATAHS 23 (Horton, Ramm tries; Harrison 2 cons 3 pens) 

BRUMBIES 24 (Cusack, Fainga’a, Fines, Valetini tries; Kuenzle 2 cons)

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Bull Shark 53 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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