Brumbies hang on in eight-try thriller

The Brumbies held on in the face of a fierce late charge by the Chiefs to advance to the Super Rugby semifinals.

After racing out to a 22-3 lead, the Brumbies were made to defend for their lives as the Chiefs came back – the home team eventually winning 32-30 in Canberra on Saturday.

There is also a touch of revenge for the Brumbies, after being beaten in a thrilling Final last year.

They will have till later on Saturday to find out if they will head to Sydney to face the Waratahs or play the Crusaders in Christchurch next week.

It was truly a game of two halves, with great entertaining rugby and a thrilling finish.

Not only did the Brumbies surprise the Chiefs with the early tempo of their game – opting for a ball-in-hand approach rather than a kicking contest – they also won a number of crucial turnovers by dominating the breakdown.

Playing the ball wide and raising the tempo, also meant the Brumbies kept the Chiefs' big forwards out of the game. It caused the Chiefs to commit more cynical offences, as they simply did not saw enough of the ball in the first half and were forced into a defensive game.

It also didn't help the Chiefs' cause that they missed 12 tackles in the opening quarter, while the Brumbies were far more energetic and accurate when having to make their tackles..

However, after the break the Chiefs increased their physicality at the breakdown and made their tackles with greater vigour. It caused a few flutters in the Brumbies camp.

Two early penalties gave the Chiefs some good territorial advantage, the second of those – by Scott Fardy at the breakdown – allowed Aaron Cruden a shot at goal. And the Chiefs flyhalf made no mistake from in front – 3-0.

However, the game was turned on its head in an instant – Tim Nanai-Williams committing a cynical offence just metres from his line and the referee having no hesitation in sending him to the sin bin.

The Brumbies turned a line-out into a maul, from where Nic White sniped around the blind for the opening try. Christian Lealiifano added the extras.

If the first try was clinical in terms of its execution, the second was sublime in terms of skill – White kicking ahead, collecting and giving to Jesse Mogg, who drew the cover and put Robbie Coleman into space. The TMO had one look and confirmed that the try was good. Lealiifano's conversion made it 14-3 after just 10 minutes.

Try number three saw the Brumbies bring their phase-play into the game, taking it through about 15 phases inside the Chiefs 22 before Mogg went over in the left corner. Lealiifano was wide of the mark with the conversion, but at 19-3 they were in command.

Another cynical offence by burly Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna allowed Lealiifano to make it 22-3, altjh0ugh Tameifuna was fortunate his transgression was further away from the line and probably saved him from getting carded as well.

The Chiefs eventually started getting their hands on some quality possession and after a couple of penalties near the Brumbies line Bundee Aki wormed his way over near the uprights. It was a far more laborious effort from the Chiefs than the ease with the which the Brumbies had scored their tries. Cruden added the extras to make it 10-22 – which was also the half-time score.

A line-out penalty in the opening exchanges of the second half gifted Cruden another shot at goal – the Chiefs flyhalf making no mistake with the touchline shot.

However, almost from the restart Chiefs hooker Mahonri Schwalger gifted the Brumbies three points back, when he committed a break transgression right in front of his posts – 25-13.

Then the Brumbies were reduced to 14 men, after wing Henry Speight was yellow carded for a professional foul – killing the ball near his line, just as Nanai-Willims did in the first half.

And the Chiefs did not wait long to make their numerical advantage count – scrumhalf Tawera Kerr-Barlow sniping over from close range. The Cruden conversion was good 20-25.

The value of being a man up was again illustrated in the next try, as the Chiefs raised their tempo and improved ball control in phase-play – till the Brumbies were short of defenders on the right, with Nanai-Williams using his pace to go over. Cruden was wide and it was all tied up – 25-all.

It was a big statement from the Brumbies when, after Lealiifano had missed a relatively easy penalty kick at goal, when they set up a line-out inside the Chiefs 22. The maul rumbled over like an uncontrolled freight train, with Jarrad Butler sitting pretty at the back. This time Lealiifano was on target 32-25.

The Chiefs now threw everything into attack and laid siege to the Brumbies' line. Eventually, after winning a penalty and opting for a scrum, Gareth Anscombe went over in the right corner. The TMO had a few looks, but eventually awarded the score. Cruden missed the conversion – leaving the Brumbies with a two-point lead – 32-30.

Lealiifano missed another sitter, but from the 22 restart the Brumbies took the ball through multiple phases and ran down the clock to hang on for a deserved two-point (32-20_ win.

Man of the match: The Chiefs' forwards – the likes of Brodie Retallick, Ben Tameifuna, Liam Squire, Tanerau Latimer and Liam Messam got more into the game in the second half. Bundee Aki was more prominent on defence that attack, with some brutal hits in the second half, but it showed his desire to keep the Chiefs' dream alive. And Aaron Cruden started pulling the strings after the break, with his inside passes and greater kicking options causing the Brumbies all kinds of problems. Henry Speight was, as usual, a monster with the ball in hand. Scott Fardy may have conceded the odd penalty, but his workrate was immense. However, our award goes to Brumbies scrumhalf Nic White. He was by no means flawless, but he caused all kinds of problems to the Chiefs' defence – both with his kicking game and his sniping runs.

The scorers:

For the Brumbies:

Tries: White, Coleman, Mogg, Butler

Cons: Lealiifano 3

Pens: Lealiifano 2

For the Chiefs:

Tries: Aki, Kerr-Barlow, Nanai-Williams, Anscombe

Cons: Cruden 2

Pens: Cruden 2

Yellow card: Tim Nanai-Williams (Chiefs, 5 – professional foul, killing the ball three metres from the line), Henry Speight (Brumbies, 47 – professional foul, killing the ball 10 metres from his line)

Teams:

Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen (captain), 7 Jarrad Butler, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Leon Power, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 1 Scott Sio.

Replacements: 16 Ruaidhri Murphy, 17 Ruan Smith, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Fotu Auelua, 20 Tom McVerry, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Joe Tomane, 23 Pat McCabe.

Chiefs: 15 Dwayne Sweeney, 14 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 13 Tim Nanai-Williams, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Aaron Cruden (captain), 9 Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Mike Fitzgerald, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Jamie Mackintosh.

Replacements: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Nick Barrett, 19 Matt Symons, 20 Tevita Koloamatangi, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Gareth Anscombe, 23 Tom Marshall.

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Rohan Hoffmann (Australia), James Leckie (Australia)

TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)