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Brumbies hang on to beat Drua in Super Rugby epic
By AAP
The Brumbies have held off the surging Fijian Drua to win 43-28 at GIO Stadium in one of the games of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
The fearless Drua didn't die wondering and traded haymakers with the competition's best Australian side, but couldn't find a go-ahead try in a lengthy late stand on the Brumbies' line.
After some hairy defensive moments, the Brumbies sealed the deal via some forward pack domination, their trademark rolling maul producing a penalty try seven minutes from time to finally break 10 points clear.
Winger Ben O'Donnell completed a hat-trick of tries in the dying stages to embellish the scoreline, although the 15-point margin perhaps flattered the Brumbies after a thrilling second term.
The Brumbies moved to 7-1 for the season but it was far from their most convincing display, routinely challenged after a strong start with a lack of attacking structure hurting them as the Drua surged.
What looked set to be a typical, machine-li ke Brumbies win was turned on its head with a Drua double blow on the stroke of halftime.
Starved of possession through the first half-hour, the visitors appeared to be guests at a Brumbies party as the hosts romped to a 19-0 lead highlighted by a silky 14-minute double for O'Donnell.
But after Brumbies lock Darcy Swain went to the sin bin for an intentional foul, the Drua powered over via halfback Peni Matawalu in their first sustained stint in attack.
And they were right back in the contest on halftime with Brumbies winger Andy Muirhead sent to the bin for a cynical play before in-form Drua five-eighth Teti Tela bounced through contact and scored under the posts to close to 19-14.
Each time the Brumbies stepped things up the Drua had an answer, a remarkable try for Iosefo Masi answering a Lachie Lonergan rolling maul effort before a sweeping team move was capped by the powerful Kalaveti Ravouvou effort to get them back within three points.
The visitor s looked to have hit the front on 67 minutes only for a try to be chalked off via TMO intervention, the Brumbies somehow surviving a lengthy period on their own line before their penalty try put things to bed.
Swain's yellow card perhaps highlighted one flaw in the Wallaby hopeful's game, coming off a 2022 season where he picked up three yellows and one red card for club and country with a number of decision-making errors.
Fijian Drua's Tela put on a clinic at No.10, pulling the strings constantly with his pin-point cross-field kick for Masi's try a clear highlight.
Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa got attention for a knee injury early in the piece but played it out, while Swain and prop Blake Schoupp each left after head knocks.
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Latest Comments
Excellent points Mz. Because of other commitments I have just watched the game.
Interesting watching it after reading all the news reports especially in the English media. I was expecting to see a game that the ABs were very lucky to win. What I saw was a game that England showed their tactical incompetence and their inability to construct any try scoring opportunities.
They can go on deluding themselves that they were unlucky to lose ( as Borthwick said post match ) but until they stop relying on rush defence and goal kicking to win I feel they're doomed to be ranked 4 or 5 in the world.
Can't wait until the weekend to see how the Wallabies go against them
Though I dare say Walter will be hoping for an England win.
Go to commentsIF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.
As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.
Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).
This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.
If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.
Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.
After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.
Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.
Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)
Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.
Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.
Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.
Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:
Seeding Band 1
IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG
Seeding Band 2
SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: FIJI
1/8 final opponent GEORGIA
Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA
1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND
Prognosis: You know the prognosis
I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?
Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.
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