Brumbies blitz errant Lions
The Brumbies produced a first-half blitzkrieg that blew the Lions off the park and secured the Australian conference leaders a 30-20 bonus-point win in their Super Rugby encounter at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Trailing 0-6 after 15 minutes, the Brumbies scored 22 unanswered points in just over 10 minutes – leaving the Lions to play catch-up for the rest of the game.
The Lions have made a habit of coming from behind this season, having done it on seven occasions already.
However, on Saturday the Brumbies were simply too focused and clinical, shutting the home side out and cementing their place at the top of the Australian conference.
The Lions made use of the boot a bit more than expected in the early stages – with short, tactical kicks, rather than long and aimless hacking downfield. And when the Lions did attempt to run at the Brumbies, they were met by solid defence.
The Brumbies, in contrast, opted to keep the ball in hand – with strong, hard running and flat passes on the gainline, which tested the Lions' defence.
While the Lions again dominated the scrums, their line-outs were scrappy, at best, and the Brumbies made the breakdown a real lottery. That left the Lions with too little possession to get their free-running game going. It was not till the game was well won by the visitors that the home side played with some freedom.
The biggest surprise was when Lions coach Johan Ackermann replaced his successful front row midway through the second half, give away the one advantage his team did have.
The opening score came in the seventh minute – Elton Jantjies slotting the penalty, after David Pocock's actions at the breakdown were deemed illegal.
Jesses Mogg had a shot from 65 metres out and while he had the distance, was well off target. Moments later Ruan Combrink, also from inside his own half, slotted a penalty to make it 6-0.
Christian Lealiifano got the Brumbies on the board in the 15th minute, before three quick tries silenced the Ellis Park crowd.
The first came after the Brumbies took the ball to the left and a kick through from Scott Fardy put the Lions defence on the backfoot. Quick recycling, quick hands and hard running got big Tevita Kuridrani over.
The second was in a same manner – hard-running No.8 Ita Vaea finishing off a classic move in which the Brumbies regathered a well-placed kick. And the next score came from a Lions error, a shocking pass by hooker Robbie Coetzee intercepted by Lealiifano.
In a matter of 10 minutes the score went from 0-6 to 22-6 for the visitors.
On the half-time hooter Elton Jantjies had a shot from 55 metres out, but he was wide of the mark and it was still a 16-point game at the break.
The Brumbies crept into their shell after the break, playing for territory and forcing the Lions to play from deep inside their half.
The Lions finally got their game going and with 15 minutes to go – after numerous phases and the referee playing advantage on three occasions – Jaco Kriel burst over for a crucial score. Jantjies, conversion made it 13-22.
However, with the Lions scrum now under pressure – after the earlier substitutions – the Brumbies worked their way back into the Lions 22, where another powerful scrum gave the Brumbies the front foot ball they desired and Joe Tomane strolled over in the left corner. The Lealiifano conversion attempt hit the upright, but at 27-13 with five minutes to go the game was safe.
And Jesse Mogg sealed the win with a penalty four minutes from time.
Andries Coetzee got a consolation try for the Lions, after a rare period of breaking the line and keeping the ball through the phases. It gave them a chance of a losing bonus point and possibly also a four-try bonus point.
However, as was the case for most of the game they let themselves down through a sloppy error – the Brumbies taking a 10-point win, 30-20.
Man of the match: You never have to look much further that Warren Whiteley when you consider who the Lions' most influential player is. Jaco Kriel, as usual, and Franco Mostert were also very busy. The Lions' most powerful weapon was once again their front row – Julian Redelinghuys, Robbie Coetzee and Schalk van der Merwe. Flank David Pocock was a huge presence through the game, hooker Stephen Moore was an workhorse of incredible vale, No.8 Ita Vaea was powerful with ball in hand, while Scott Fardy and Rory Arnold showed how they valuable they could be to the Wallabies. Tevita Kuridrani also exposed the Lions' defence with his hard running, while Nic White's kicking kept the Lions on the backfoot. However, our award goes to Brumbies flyhalf Christian Lealiifano, who was the catalyst for the Brumbies when they produced that 22-point burst in the first half.
The scorers:
For the Lions:
Tries: Kriel, Coetzee
Cons: Jantjies, Van der Walt
Pens: Jantjies, Combrink
For the Brumbies:
Tries: Kuridrani, Vaea, Lealiifano, Tomane
Cons: Lealiifano 2
Pens: Lealiifano, Mogg
Teams:
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Harold Vorster, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Ruan Combrinck, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Robert Kruger, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 20 Warwick Tecklenburg, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Jaco van der Walt, 23 Howard Mnisi.
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Nic White, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 Allan Alaalatoa.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Jean-Paul Smith, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Jarrad Butler, 20 Jordan Smiler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 James Dargaville, 23 Robbie Coleman.
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen, Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO: Johan Greeff
