Super Rugby: Brumbies forward pack dominates Waratahs to set up 32-15 win
THE Brumbies are the real deal, even after just two rounds, stamping their authority on the Australian conference by humiliating the Waratahs forward pack .
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THE Brumbies are the real deal, even after just two rounds, stamping their authority on the Australian conference by humiliating the Waratahs forward pack to earn a penalty try from a rampaging scrum.
Their 32-15 victory over NSW in Canberra on Friday night unveiled some key facts.
Stephen Larkham’s team has the strength in set-piece and forward collisions to make the Super Rugby final, and should their backline start finishing their chances they could win the title with the attacking verve that typified the glorious Brumbies of old.
Replacement back Nigel Ah Wong scored a runaway try in the final seconds to seal victory, but the match was essentially won 11 minutes earlier when the Brumbies forwards marched their Tahs counterparts backwards on their line before it collapsed, forcing referee Marius van der Westhuizen to award a penalty try under the posts.
It was a statement of power and dominance. Minutes later, they marched the NSW scrum another 15 metres backwards.
Adding to NSW’s woes, replacement playmaker Bryce Hegarty suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear and will miss the remainder of the season while hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau could be sidelined for two months with a broken wrist.
Centre Rob Horne sustained a knee injury and the date of his return was unknown immediately following the game.
Two minutes later, NSW scored a try against the run of play through Nick Phipps to make it 18-15, but the visitors always looked a step short.
The intensity of the game was summed up by two minor scuffles by opposing players, most of who are Wallabies teammates.
How it was level 8-all at the break beggared belief.
The Brumbies should have scored at least three tries. They had the better of the scrum, a driving maul that was virtually unstoppable, forwards that were running smart lines punching holes into NSW’s defence, and backs who looked stronger than their opposite numbers.
Not to mention that they had a one-man advantage for 20 of the first 40 minutes, with Will Skelton (dangerous tackle, fifth minute) and then Dean Mumm (pulling down a rolling maul, 30th minute) sin-binned in a chaotic half.
Beale missed his first two shots at penalty, but managed to pull himself together to nail the third despite having earlier absorbed a thumping tackle from Matt Toomua that made his opposite ribs touch.
Christian Lealiifano opened the scoring with an early penalty goal as NSW were blitzed in the opening exchanges.
The Waratahs conceded five penalties in the opening seven minutes, and Skelton’s sin-binning allowed Lealiifano to manipulate the shortened defence for his benefit.
After a series of raids on NSW’s line, the Brumbies shifted the ball to their co-captain, who put a sharp inside step on a despairing Dave Dennis, straightened to beat the cover of Polota-Nau, and waltzed through for the try.
It was a moment of individual brilliance from Folau that finally woke NSW from their slumber.
With the Tahs stalling in attack, Horwitz found Folau ranging wide and passed immediately. Folau fended off Tomane, held the ball in two hands to run inside fullback Aiden Toua and crash over for a magical try.
Beale’s penalty late in the half evened the scores, although Tomane seemed destined to score before he was pulled down by opposite Matt Carraro in a try-saving tackle, while Brumbies halfback Tomas Cubelli lost the ball over the tryline after solid contact from Dennis to exasperate the local supporters.
By full-time they were delirious.
Originally published as Super Rugby: Brumbies forward pack dominates Waratahs to set up 32-15 win
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