ACT Brumbies returned to winning ways on Saturday as Dan McKellar’s side overcame last week’s loss to Queensland Reds to hand Fijian Drua a 33-12 defeat that keeps them on top of the Super Rugby standings.
Forward James Slipper made his 150th Super Rugby appearance as the Brumbies notched up a bonus point win that ensures they hold a four-point lead over Auckland Blues and Canterbury Crusaders ahead of a bye next week.
“It was special to get the win tonight, it was a tough game,” Slipper told Stan Sport. “Pretty wet so just happy to get the win.
“(I’ve) got a couple more years at the Brumbies and we’ve got a couple of big games coming up after a bye. We’ve got the Kiwis and we’re pretty pumped up for that.”
A pair of Tom Wright tries bookended a performance in which the Brumbies used their maul to devastating effect as Cam Clark, Billy Pollard and Connal McInerney also scored.
The Blues handed the Waikato Chiefs a 25-0 defeat to sit four points behind the Brumbies, with Tom Robinson scoring a pair of tries, with Beauden Barrett driving his team to victory.
They are joined on 27 points by the Crusaders, who claimed a narrow 24-21 win over Wellington Hurricanes.
Ethan Blackadder’s try early in the second half proved to be the difference between the teams after the Hurricanes’ Jordie Barrett chose to kick for touch rather than go for goal when awarded a penalty in the final moments of the game.
That decision proved costly when the Hurricanes lost the ball at the resulting line-out and referee Brendon Pickerill blew the final whistle, leaving Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea frustrated.
“We came out here and we wanted to prove a point,” he told Sky after the game.
“The Crusaders, they’re the best team in this competition and I’m proud of my boys’ efforts. They just missed out in the end.”
Melbourne Rebels notched up their second win in a row with a 22-21 victory over Western Force, with the Force’s failure to convert any of their three tries proving costly.
Otago Highlanders, meanwhile, ran in six tries to claim a bonus point in their 37-17 win over Moana Pasifika.
(Reporting by Michael Church in Hong Kong, Editing by Robert Birsel)
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
