Five things we learnt from Chiefs-Brumbies
The best players rise in the biggest moments and Chiefs ace Damian McKenzie has done it again to sink the season of the ACT Brumbies.
McKenzie’s slicing run in the closing minutes and a second touch set up the Brodie Retallick try that won a tight semi-final 19-6 in sodden Hamilton.
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What did we learn from the brave but last Aussie hope bowing out of the Super Rugby Pacific finals?
1 SMILING ASSASSIN
Australian players will be sick of watching that killer smile that spreads on his face every time McKenzie lines up kicks for goal.
He booted seven-from-seven to sink the Queensland Reds in the quarter-final and was perfect off the tee again with five-from-five to always keep the Brumbies at arm’s length.
That’s 12-from-12 under intense pressure.
The Brumbies just didn’t have a flyhalf who could produce a big play in the wet like McKenzie finding a matchwinning break with everything on the line.
2 WET WEATHER POINTERS
There’s nothing like a tight armwrestle in the wet to prove how important nailing every little element is in a high-stakes game.
Like a World Cup match, right?
That’s why there were plenty of pointers for Wallabies coach Eddie Jones to seize on.
Fullback Tom Wright banged a lovely return kick just 50 seconds into the game. He wasn’t always as crisp with his decisions at other times.
Only the Brumbies’ supreme defence saved his bacon on half-time when he got a bit cute with a goal-line dropout he wanted to stab short into touch only for it to be intercepted.
He was held up and conceded a scrum with one indecisive carry from the back and his failed pop pass, which went forward, was just a brain freeze moment.
He did make a fine tackle to force a Chiefs knock-on on the shortside late in the game and scouted for opportunities but it was less than a Test fullback’s performance.
It was a learning night for him after plenty of superb performances through the season.
3 BIG-GAME NIC
Brumbies stalwart Nic White showed exactly why he’s the No.1 Wallabies halfback.
His poise and craftiness were big factors during his 55 minutes of action.
Twice, he passed into Chiefs players from the ruckbase to force off-side penalties. Every moment of momentum is valuable in games like this one and he knew it.
A nice little flat pass got prop James Slipper punching forward on another occasion, his kicking was good and his direction in wet conditions was reliable.
He put in everything in his farewell game for the Brumbies. He heads west for 2024 as a Brumbies great.
Brumbies coach Steve Larkham saluted a departing coaching ally as well.
“I don’t think anyone outside the playing group has contributed more to the Brumbies than Laurie Fisher,” Larkham told Stan Sport.
4 BIG MOMENTS
We’ve mentioned the Chiefs taking the try at the death when it mattered.
The Brumbies had their big moment at the 65-minute mark when they kicked to touch off a penalty for a 5m lineout when just 9-6 behind.
Lock Cadeyrn Neville seized the ball on the jump as part of his strong game which included an early lineout steal.
The rolling maul got rolling but the Chiefs resisted. That Pita Gus Sowakula move on halfback Ryan Lonergan to smack the ball from his grasp for a turnover dissolved the last of the Brumbies’ rock-solid chances.
It was hard to see a Lonergan knock-on in that play but that’s the way the referee called it.
5 STANDING TALL
Backrower Rob Valetini just keeps cranking up the workrate in every game.
He led the Brumbies for ball-carries (15) and tackles (17)
Neville and lock partner Nick Frost both put up 17 tackles as well while young backrower Tom Hooper never shirked it with his cleanouts, tackles and nine ball-carries.
Hooper has the size and physical stamp to be a Wallaby. How soon is the big question.
The Brumbies were always closer than the final score. Neville's lineout steal, the superb defence just before half-time, Valetini and Lolesio dislodging the ball when Luke Jacobson ran off the back of an attacking scrum, Andy Muirhead and James Slipper winning clutch turnovers...there was so much heart and fight to come up short.
