Brumbies edge Chiefs 32-30 in Canberra thriller to advance to Super Rugby semi-finals

THEY threatened to blow the biggest lead in Super Rugby finals history, but the Brumbies have advanced to the semi-finals after a thrilling win over the Chiefs.

Brumbies vs Chiefs

THEY threatened to blow the biggest lead in Super Rugby finals history, but the Brumbies have advanced to the semi-final after a thrilling win over the Chiefs in Canberra.

The 32-30 victory avenged last year’s grand final loss to the two-time defending premiers, but the Chiefs nearly pulled off one of the great comebacks when trailing 22-3 after 29 minutes.

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In an astonishing game, the scores were level at 25-all by the 55th minute, but a rolling maul try from flanker Jarrad Butler proved the decisive play.

Butler’s first Super Rugby try was converted by Christian Lealiifano, while Gareth Anscombe’s 77th minute try for the Chiefs wasn’t converted by Chiefs skipper Aaron Cruden.

“You don’t knock a side like that over easily, it was a really pleasing performance,” Brumbies captain Ben Mowen said.

Watch full video highlights of the Brumbies thrilling win over the Chiefs

Both sides scored two quick tries while their opponents had a player sin-binned early in each half.

Brumbies winger Henry Speight, who was otherwise superb, was sin-binned in the 48th minute.

Chiefs halfback Tawera Kerr-Barlow dived over the line from close range soon after, and then centre Tim Nanai-Williams, who had been sin-binned in the fifth minute, raced over in the 55th to even the scores.

Aside from his yellow card, Speight was a wrecking machine with ball in hand, creating a raft of breaks and running for an incredible 186 metres.

He has yet to play an international but Speight must now be considered among the best wingers in the world.

Winger Henry Speight on the charge for the Brumbies.

Brumbies halfback Nic White was also superb, scoring his side’s first try, having a hand in the next two, and making a try-saving tackle on Chiefs winger James Lowe with six minutes remaining.

The 15-metre rolling maul try to Butler put the Brumbies back in the lead with a quarter of the game remaining.

After being run down in last year’s decider, the Brumbies’ demons seemed to be resurfacing as Lealiifano missed two late penalties, but they held firm to advance to the final four.

Holding a 22-10 lead at the break, the Brumbies’ advantage was wiped out as the Chiefs surged back in the second stanza with sharp attacking play.

Brumbies flyhalf Matt Toomua takes on the Chiefs defence.

But hopes of a three-peat were dashed when the Brumbies wound down the clock in possession and five-eighth Matt Toomua booted the ball out on the siren.

The Brumbies are now one win away from their second successive grand final appearance.

They conceded an early penalty but the Brumbies pounced after the fifth-minute sin-binning of Nanai-Williams, scoring two tries in four minutes with the one-man advantage.

White crossed a minute after Nanai-Williams’s yellow card, with the Brumbies using a rolling maul from a lineout close to the line.

The Chiefs’ short-side defenders were caught too deep and flat-footed as White simply snatched the ball from the back of the maul and waltzed over untouched.

Nic White celebrates his try for the Brumbies.

White then sparked the next try to Robbie Coleman, catching a Chiefs chip-kick and countering quickly.

White found speedster Jesse Mogg who raced down the sideline attracting three tacklers before feeding Coleman on the inside, and the winger finished a scintillating move.

The Brumbies’ third try, in the 21st minute, was even better, coming after 16 phases of attack.

Mowen shrugged off three tacklers before he was pulled down near the line, and White’s superb pass to Coleman allowed the winger to return the favour for Mogg.

Coleman’s deft short pass found Mogg swooping down the sideline to touch down.

The Chiefs had only had a quarter of the ball after a quarter of the match, and had to score next if they were to mount any case for a title defence.

Eventually they found the line, in the 35th minute,

Midfielder Bundee Aki barged over from close range after a series of thrusts at the line left the Brumbies’ defence stretched.

BRUMBIES 32 (Jarrad Butler, Robbie Coleman, Jesse Mogg, Nic White tries Christian Leali’ifano 3 cons 2 pens) bt CHIEFS 30 (Bundee Aki, Gareth Anscombe, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Tim Nanai-Williams tries Aaron Cruden 2 cons 2 pens) at GIO Stadium. Referee: Craig Joubert. Crowd: 14,284.

Replay all the Brumbies v Chiefs action in our match blog below

Originally published as Brumbies edge Chiefs 32-30 in Canberra thriller to advance to Super Rugby semi-finals