Brumbies score close win over Chiefs
Julian Huxley Brumbies
Flyhalf Matt Toomua scored his first try in Super 14 rugby three minutes from fulltime to clinch the ACT Brumbies’ 30-23 win over the Waikato Chiefs on Friday.
Toomua’s try was the crucial last act of a match in which the lead changed five times and gave the Brumbies their fifth win from seven games, lifting them to fourth place early in the seventh round.
Scrumhalf Josh Valentine and 18-year-old flanker Michael Hooper, in his Super 14 debut, scored first-half tries for the Brumbies, who led 17-16 at halftime.
Matt Giteau kicked three conversions and three penalties for 15 points, helping the Brumbies recover the lead after trailing 23-17 during the second half.
“Coming off a loss and going into a bye week this turned out to be a really important game for us,” Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles said. “We worked hard for that last try, even though we got a bit of luck out of it. It was a quality performance.”
Toomua’s match-winning try came when the Brumbies exerted pressure on a Waikato scrum close to the tryline in the 77th minute, causing the ball to squirt fee. ACT swooped on possession, forced a turnover and replacement Patrick Phibbs sent Toomua away to score near the posts. Australia international Giteau added the final conversion.
Only five minutes earlier, Giteau had leveled the scores with his third penalty, rewarding a long period of pressure from the Brumbies who spent much of the second half camped in Waikato territory.
“We played a lot of the game in our own 22 and the pressure told when they scored off our own scrum which was pretty disappointing,” Chiefs captain Mils Muliaina said. “I thought our set piece was a lot better tonight but our energy and enthusiasm were a bit lacking.”
The match saw the return to Super 14 rugby of former Australian Wallabies fullback Julian Huxley, two years after he underwent surgery for a brain tumor. Huxley took the field for the Brumbies as an injury replacement after only 11 minutes.
“I was a bit rusty but I hope I keep getting the opportunities now. It was a great feeling to be out there,” Huxley said.
The Brumbies opened the largest lead of a close match after 14 minutes when Hooper’s try gave them a 14-3 advantage. Hooper was replacing injured Wallabies flanker George Smith and was on hand to take a well-timed pass from Phibbs, who broke from a lineout.
Earlier, Valentine had scored off a break by winger Pat McCabe.
Chiefs flyhalf Stephen Donald narrowed the margin with penalties and his New Zealand All Blacks teammate, scrumhalf Brendon Leonard, recovered the lead – 16-14 – with a 29th minute try.
A futher penalty by Giteau allowed the Brumbies to take a one-point lead to halftime.
All Blacks center Richard Kahui gave the Chiefs a 23-17 lead with a try two minutes into the second half. The Brumbies then had long spells of territorial dominance but needed two penalties to Giteau, 28 minutes apart, to make it 23-23.
Toomua’s late try came too late for Waikato to stage a further comeback.
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ACT Brumbies 30 (Josh Valentine, Michael Hooper, Matt Toomua tries; Matt Giteau 3 conversions, 3 penalties), Waikato 23 (Brendon Leonard, Richard Kahui tries; Stephen Donald 2 conversions, 3 penalties). HT: 17-16. – Sapa-AP
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