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The painful problem that keeps haunting the Brumbies

Another sleepy Super Rugby period has cost the Brumbies, who concede they didn’t respond well enough after poking the Crusaders in Christchurch.

Lachlan McCaffrey of the Brumbies looks dejected after conceding a try.
Lachlan McCaffrey of the Brumbies looks dejected after conceding a try.

Another sleepy Super Rugby period has cost the Brumbies, who concede they didn’t respond well enough after poking the Crusaders in Christchurch.

The table-topping Crusaders went on a second-half rampage in their 36-14 win on Saturday, having played second fiddle to the Australian outfit in the first spell.

Leading 7-0 at the break through captain Christian Lealiifano’s try and unfortunate not to be further ahead, coach Dan McKellar warned his Brumbies a response from the hosts was inevitable.

It came quickly via three unanswered tries as the momentum swung in devastating fashion.

McKeller was disappointed a near-faultless first-half performance was ruined by a diversion from the game plan after halftime.

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Coach Dan McKellar of the Brumbies looks on prior to the round 8 Super Rugby match.
Coach Dan McKellar of the Brumbies looks on prior to the round 8 Super Rugby match.

It isn’t a new problem.

The Brumbies have conceded 12 tries between halftime and the 60-minute mark of their matches this season, four more than any other team.

“I said at halftime ‘we’ve got a fantastic opportunity here and a fantastic challenge in front of us as a group’,” McKellar said.

“We knew that they would come out and lift but the reality is we couldn’t go with them in that key 10-15 minutes.

“They dominated the physicality and the collisions and we didn’t handle that well.”

A fifth loss from seven games leaves the Brumbies languishing second-last overall, just a point ahead of the Sunwolves.

However, McKellar isn’t panicking before next week’s home fixture against the Lions.

Without the injured David Pocock and three resting Wallabies forwards, he said his pack’s performance against the Crusaders was a clear improvement on their loss to the Queensland Reds.

The team defence was the best he’d seen this season aside from the period after halftime.

His players responded by working individually, which was never going to halt the rampant defending champions.

It was also responsible, McKellar said, for the high tackles from winger Toni Pulu and reserve lock Sam Carter that resulted in yellow cards.

“When you’re trying to solve things on your own defensively you’re chasing your tail, he said.

“That’s what Toni was doing there and caught him high, and Sam again.

“They’re not things we have traditionally done. It was just timing on a couple of occasions.”

Allan Alaalatoa of the Brumbies and his brother, Michael Alaalatoa of the Crusaders.
Allan Alaalatoa of the Brumbies and his brother, Michael Alaalatoa of the Crusaders.

Originally published as The painful problem that keeps haunting the Brumbies

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Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/rugby/the-painful-problem-that-keeps-haunting-the-brumbies/news-story/fe8948f505ec82a828a49ffc4426f85d