Brumbies leap up Super Rugby standings after bonus-point win over Lions

A THREE TRY blitz set up ACT Brumbies for a bonus-point 30-20 victory over Golden Lions at Ellis Park.

Super Rugby Rd 14 - Lions v Brumbies

A THREE-TRY blitz set up ACT Brumbies for a bonus-point 30-20 victory over Golden Lions at Ellis Park Saturday in the Super 15 championship.

Centre Tevita Kuridrani, No. 8 Ita Vaea and fly-half Christian Lealiifano crossed the try-line within nine minutes to give the Australians a 22-6 half-time lead.

Superb Brumbies defending kept the South Africans at bay for 25 minutes of the second half in Johannesburg before flanker Jaco Kriel snatched a try.

But seven minutes later any lingering doubts about the outcome were dispelled when winger Joe Tomane dived over in the corner.

Victory lifted the Canberra-based former champions five places to second on the combined southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship standings.

With the Wellington Hurricanes from New Zealand 14 points clear at the top, the race is on to finish second, dodge the first series of play-offs, and secure a home semi-final.

Brumbies are three points ahead of the Northern Bulls and host the South Africans later this month in a match sure to have a major bearing on the final placings.

Lions, written off pre-season as likely whipping boys, have got out of jail numerous times, most recently when edging the Otago Highlanders from New Zealand at Ellis Park last weekend.

But skipper and No. 8 Warren Whiteley and his team could not find the keys against the Brumbies and the result flattered them.

The South Africans gave the Australians a torrid time at the scrums for much of the match, but their overall performance was error-ridden and lacked momentum.

They also had no answer to Brumbies’ scrum-half Nic White, whose outstanding display included many pressure-relieving tactical kicks.

Although only three points below the last play-offs place, the Lions have to play two of their remaining three fixtures away, and the other is against defending champions the NSW Waratahs of Australia.

Successful penalty kicks from fly-half Elton Jantjies and winger Ruan Combrinck gave the Lions an early six-point advantage before Lealiifano halved the deficit from another penalty.

The try blitz began on 18 minutes when Kuridrani burst between two Lions to dot down and continued when Vaea flung himself over the line from close range.

Shrugging off the loss of injured centre Matt Toomua, the visitors scored a third try on 26 minutes as Lealiifano caught a wild Lions pass and darted over.

Lealiifano converted two of the tries to give his side a 16-point cushion by the break.

After a Kriel try converted by Jantjies offered a ray of hope to the Lions, Tomane snuffed it out with his score giving the Australians a 27-13 advantage.

Brumbies full-back Jesse Mogg slotted a penalty and Lions full-back Andries Coetzee scored a late consolation try which substitute back Jaco van der Walt converted.

Originally published as Brumbies leap up Super Rugby standings after bonus-point win over Lions