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Moana Pasifika stun Brumbies with season-closing win on eve of Super Rugby Pacific finals
By Alex McLeod
Moana Pasifika have produced one of the upsets of the Super Rugby Pacific season, stunning the Brumbies to close their debut campaign out with a victory.
Paying long odds to beat one of the title frontrunners at Mt Smart Stadium, the bottom-of-the-table Moana Pasifika overcame an early red card to captain Sekope Kepu - playing in his 150th Super Rugby match - to topple the Brumbies 32-22 in Auckland on Saturday.
The Brumbies didn't help themselves on the discipline front, conceding two yellow cards within minutes of each other to play with 13 men for a lengthy period, but Moana Pasifika's fortitude and commitment to the cause was enough to get them over the line.
Led by former Brumbies pair Christian Lealiifano and Solomone Kata, Moana Pasifika's win denies the Brumbies a third-place finish, meaning they will likely have to play away from home if they qualify for the semi-finals.
By contrast, Moana Pasifika will bask in the glory of notching their second-ever win, their first since they shocked the Hurricanes with an extra-time victory in March.
Moana Pasifika 32 (Tries to William Havili, Joe 'Apikotoa, Lotu Inisi and penalty try; 2 conversions and 2 penalties to Christian Lealiifano)
Brumbies 22 (Tries to Connal McInerney, Lachlan Longergan and Pete Samu; 2 conversions and drop goal to Noah Lolesio)
- MORE TO COME
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Latest Comments
Vaai is finally having his breakout year getting comfortable and showing great form at lock, and there are form players and experience all across the backrow, why on earth would you drop him to 6. Ridiculous
Go to commentsSo far, the All Blacks have won 8 matches out of 11 this year. That is a near 73% win rate. AB fans and, I assume, the team itself are not content with that and have everything to play for with the remaining 3 tests this year.
Their historical average is something like 77% these days and, although some years will always be better than others it is not likely to drop that dramatically to 70% any time soon. There is too much historical inertia on the stats. It is like saying Ireland’s form of the last 10 years or so is likely to reverse a historical average of 48% wins soon. It just isn’t.
Moreover, when you say they are ‘doomed’ to a 70% flatline are you not just assuming that Ireland will beat them again? How did that work out for you last time?
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