Late Charlie Cale heroics saves Brumbies from Blues blushes

Charlie Cale has stepped up in the Brumbies’ moment of need to continue their unbeaten start to the Super Rugby Pacific season with a thrilling 30-27 defeat of the Blues.

After snapping a 26-year losing streak in a rousing 50-24 victory against the Crusaders in Christchurch last Sunday, the Brumbies were hot favourites in their first game of the season in Canberra on Saturday.

But the Blues, buoyed by a week of training in Sydney, were in the box seat to win after leading by as much as nine points with 10 minutes remaining.

But the tide turned in the 70th minute, when flyhalf Stephen Perofeta was yellow carded.

Moments later, flanker Luke Reimer crossed to set up a thrilling finish.

22m Entries

Avg. Points Scored

2.7

11

Entries

Avg. Points Scored

3

9

Entries

All the visitors had to do was hold onto the ball, but they couldn’t, and the Brumbies had one last roll of the dice.

As the fulltime siren sounded, the home fans held their breath as their side charged towards the line.

They almost blew it when Cale bobbled the ball metres from the line, but the No.8 picked it up from the ruck and planted it over the line to secure the win.

The Canberrans had themselves to blame for making the match as close as it was, coughing up 15 turnovers.

The hosts, who had scored 106 points in their opening two matches, looked like they were going to continue their dominant offence when prop James Slipper punted the ball about 60 metres and found a running Declan Meredith, who planted it over the line in the sixth minute.

But the Blues responded immediately when Caleb Clarke picked off an Ollie Sapsford pass to cross underneath the posts.

Hooker Billy Pollard reinstated the Brumbies’ advantage when he wrestled his way over.

The Blues, however, responded when outside centre AJ Lam shrugged off a flurry of defenders to muscle his touch down and level the halftime scores at 15-15.

Brumbies prop Blake Schoupp thought he had scored his first Super Rugby try when he crashed over in the 49th minute, but it was chalked off as Rhys Van Nek knocked the ball in the lead-up.

Shortly after, Auckland’s Cole Forbes broke down the right edge before the Blues moved right and Clarke strolled over untouched.

Dalton Papali’i celebrated his 100th game with a try in the 62nd minute.

But the Brumbies flicked a switch, scoring two tries in the dying minutes to end the Blues’ seven-year winning streak in Canberra.