Brumbies rumble on as Saders scrape first win

THE BRUMBIES’ forwards delivered the knockout blow in a clash of Australian heavyweights to fell the Waratahs 32- 15 in a pulsating Super Rugby match yesterday.

A dominant Brumbies scrum shoved the Tahs pack over the line for a penalty try in the 68th minute to set up the win before replacement back Nigel Ah Wong added a lastminute try to blow out the scoreline at Canberra Stadium.

The Brumbies, widely tipped to win the Australian conference in the expanded 18team competition, snapped a four- match losing streak against the Tahs and remained undefeated after two rounds.

Christian Lealiifano and Joe Tomane scored the other tries for the Brumbies, with Israel Folau and Nick Phipps crossing for the visitors.

“We finished well there at the end and very happy to get the win against a quality team,” Brumbies captain Stephen Moore said.

The Tahs were denied a try to Kurtley Beale with six minutes left due to obstruction by replacement lock Sam Lousi but it was a deserving win for the Brumbies who defended stoutly and were more fierce at the breakdown.

The Tahs made a calamitous start, losing Will Skelton and fellow lock Dean Mumm to yellow cards in the first half.

Lealiifano capitalised during Skelton’s time in the sin-bin for a high tackle, shimmying through an undermanned defence in the ninth minute.

A piece of Folau brilliance put the Tahs back in the game as the Wallaby fullback sliced through to cross at the right corner in the 22nd minute.

Although a man down for a second time when Mumm went off near the hour-mark for collapsing a maul, the Tahs scored a penalty against the run of play to claw back to 8-8 at the break.

The Brumbies raised the pressure and Tomane shrugged off two tacklers in a dart to the line in the 56th minute.

Tahs No 9 Nick Phipps hit back moments later, capitalising on a Folau line-break for his team’s third try.

The Brumbies forwards then took control of the match, before Tomane won a sprint to collect a loose ball and threw a hopeful pass over his shoulder which Ah Wong gleefully swooped on before bolting 30 metres for the final try.

● After losing a hard-fought match to the Chiefs at home last week, the Crusaders grabbed their first win of the season, with Kieran Read barging over the line in the 68th minute to seal a scrappy 28-13 victory over the Blues in Christchurch.

The Saders forwards built an early 13-3 lead, shoving the Blues pack over the line to earn a penalty try in the 18th minute. The Blues, 1-1 for the season, defended stoutly into the second half, but wing Nemani Nadolo tore the visitors’ defence to shreds with a bustling run through midfield to set up Read’s try out wide.

Richie Mo’unga iced the win with an intercept try in the last minute after Tevita Li crossed for the Blues’ sole try. – Reuters