Brumbies has just topped the Super Rugby table ahead of the two best NZ teams in this competition Chiefs and Crusaders thanks to their win against the other best team in Australia – Queensland Reds.
Both teams fought hard where they had to share the lead going into the break by 7-7 all but all of the other 40 towards the finish belongs to Brumbies hands down.
The way Reds slip up from ill-discipline to being willy nilly when trying to convert their attack into points allowed Brumbies to snatch the next few tries and that was something the Reds weren’t able to do by 24-14.
We also had a women’s test match as part of the Pacific Four series at the same GIO Stadium in Canberra with the Wallaroos and USA Eagles. USA weren’t bad other than some poorly timed errors with Hope Rogers cashing in a hat-trick of tries past the in-goal. However, expansive & positive rugby from the Wallaroos elevated them to the front row in cruise control by 27-19.
Top 3 players from Brumbies v Reds and Wallaroos v USA
Glad to hear that Tom “Tommy Turbo” Wright turbocharged his Brumbies attack where running rugby was in play on the front foot especially in the 2nd half. With Joe Schmidt watching on-site once again, here’s hoping Ryan Lonergan gets his chance to take on the Lions – he can do a bit of everything off the expansive and can also provide some handy kicking extras.
Reds, meanwhile, good in defense but not so much putting things together at times in attack, with Fraser McReight continuing to put in those hard yards. A good Finals run would surely help Joe choose Fraser over Tizzano with competition heating up for the Wallabies starting open No.7 shirt.
Going back earlier with the Wallaroos v USA, Ash Marsters also on the 7 continues to be at her best like it was off the bench v Black Ferns last week + Charlotte Caslick with her pace and little cross kicks gave us every reason why she wants to play at the World Cup later this year in England.
And on the Eagles, Hope Rogers’ hat-trick of tries at loosehead 1 lights up their confidence along the way. Bummer they made the wrong calls where Wallaroos took great care of the ball than USA, that’s all I can say & also shoutout to IIona Maher who has been everywhere from helping USA achieve Olympic bronze in the 7s last year in Paris to ABC’s DWTS.
