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<\/p>\nHappy Monday, G&GRs. Lots of rugby on again this weekend. Firstly, we will look at the Wallabies V the Bokke. The Wallaroos defeat the Lady Haggis Eaters. Then, to wrap it all up, we will look at the Super Rugby AU. So, pour a massive cup of liquid gold\u2615 and get that into you while we wander into the mad, mad, mad world of Brisney.<\/p>\n
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Wallabies 42 defeated the Dutch Dirt Farmers 38<\/p>\n
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11-man Wallabies defy Referumping Cheesefest to beat world champion Springboks in dramatic Perth thriller! \u2013 Someone check the calendar, because the Wallabies have just done something rather spectacular. In one of the most ridiculous, exhilarating and downright stressful Test matches you\u2019re ever likely to see, the Wallabies have held on to defeat the world champion Springboks 42-38 at Optus Stadium in Perth, reclaiming the Mandela Challenge Plate for the first time since 2022. And they did it with 11 blokes on the field. Yes, eleven.<\/p>\n
With 55,000 screaming West Aussies providing the soundtrack, Australia raced to a 20-point lead before the Springboks launched the sort of comeback that usually ends with Australians staring blankly into their beers, wondering where it all went wrong. Except this time, it didn\u2019t. The Wallabies survived. And somewhere in Perth, Les Kiss may finally have allowed himself a small smile.<\/p>\n
The Boks strike first \u2013 Australia came out looking to challenge the Springboks with an aggressive rush defence and aerial contest, but South Africa quickly worked out that there was another way to skin this particular Wallaby. Go straight at the ruck. A penalty in the fourth minute gave Handre Pollard the chance to open the scoring, and the veteran flyhalf duly obliged. The Wallabies weren\u2019t about to panic, though.<\/p>\n
They went back to work and, when the Boks were caught off their feet at the breakdown, Josh Lonergan stepped up to level the scores from the tee. And then came the first warning sign of what was to become a very long evening for Australian blood pressure. A Springbok lineout maul got rolling. Johan Grobbelaar finished it. Because of course he did. The Boks led 10-3.<\/p>\n
Ikitau decides he\u2019s had enough \u2013 Australia were asking plenty of questions of the Springbok defence but weren\u2019t quite getting the final pass right. Fraser McReight and Brandon Paenga-Amosa, meanwhile, were starting to make themselves increasingly unwelcome at the breakdown.<\/p>\n
Then, in the 25th minute, Australia finally put it all together. A slick lineout move inside the Springbok 22 was followed by several phases of good old-fashioned run directly at the enormous South Africans until they became annoyed rugby. Len Ikitau got the reward, crashing over under the posts. 24 minutes later, the same man had two tries.<\/p>\n
South Africa coughed up possession twice, Australia pounced, and Joseph Sua\u2019ali\u2019i won a crucial aerial contest to keep the pressure alive. The ball fell to Ikitau. He finished. The Wallabies suddenly led. 17-10. Have the Wallabies discovered attack? Have the planets aligned? Has someone finally hidden the emergency panic button? Nobody knew.<\/p>\n
South Africa responded through Edwill van der Merwe after \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 another powerful maul. But Australia weren\u2019t finished. With half-time approaching, Ethan Hooker was pinged for a tackle on Donaldson and the Wallabies marched into the Springbok 22. The forwards went to work. Up the guts. Again. And again. And again. Eventually Donaldson got the ball in the corner and finished the job. (About the only thing he did right for the evening \u2013 We need Carter Gordon back ASAP). Australia went to the sheds 24-17 ahead. And, remarkably, it didn\u2019t even feel like the full extent of the insanity had arrived yet.<\/p>\n
The Wallabies blow the Boks away \u2013 South Africa emerged from half-time with the obvious intention of doing what South Africa generally does when things aren\u2019t going their way: Bring on the big blokes. Rassie Erasmus emptied the bench in one massive hit. Australia responded by continuing to frustrate them. Lonergan added another penalty. Then another. By the 54th minute, the Wallabies were 31-18 ahead. The Springboks were throwing everything at them, but Australia\u2019s defence was outstanding. The aerial battle was being won. The breakdown was being contested. The scrum was holding. And every time South Africa looked like building momentum, someone in gold would produce a massive play.<\/p>\n
Ikitau eventually left the field with an apparent ankle injury, but Harry Potter came on, and Australia kept marching forward. Then Harry Wilson did what Harry Wilson does. Put his head down. Pick a direction. Find the try line. Try. Lonergan converted. Australia led 38-18 with less than 20 minutes remaining. Twenty points. Against the world champions. Surely\u2026 Surely\u2026 Ah. No.<\/p>\n
Here comes the South African freight train \u2013 The Springboks finally started finding some possession and space. Then Wilson was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle. Australia were down to 14. South Africa attacked. Morne van den Berg looked certain to score, only to lose the ball over the line. A moment later, the pressure became too much. Penalty try. Lonergan was also sent to the bin. (Should have just conceded the try). Suddenly Australia were down to 13.<\/p>\n
Then Sua\u2019ali\u2019i joined the party. Down to 12. The Springboks smelled blood. Van den Berg crossed. The deficit was suddenly down to 11. The Wallabies were wobbling. And then Tom Wright produced one of those moments that should probably come with a health warning. The Springboks threw a pass. Wright read it. Intercepted. And sprinted away to score. Optus Stadium exploded. Except\u2026 High tackle. No try.<\/p>\n
Because apparently the rugby gods wanted to see exactly how much punishment Australian supporters could withstand in one evening. Australia were now down to 11 men. Eleven. Against the world champions. With minutes left. Like WTAF?<\/p>\n
The final stand \u2013 South Africa kept coming. The Springbok scrum did its damage, and van den Berg crossed again. The deficit was just 11 points with five minutes remaining. The Wallabies were hanging on by fingernails, duct tape and sheer bloody-mindedness. Then Ox Nche crashed over as the siren sounded. 42-38. One more try. One restart. One chance. South Africa needed to win the ball and score again to steal the match.<\/p>\n
Australia had to defend. With Wilson and Lonergan returning to the field, the Wallabies threw everything into one final defensive stand. The Springboks tried to move the ball wide. The Wallabies\u2019 rush defence came screaming up. South Africa were penalised for obstruction. And that was it. Full-time. Australia 42 defeated South Africa 38. The Springboks were beaten. The Wallabies had survived.<\/p>\n
And somewhere, probably several kilometres from Optus Stadium, thousands of Australian supporters were beginning to realise they had spent the previous ten minutes holding their breath. A famous night for the Wallabies. This wasn\u2019t perfect. It wasn\u2019t even remotely calm. It certainly wasn\u2019t good for anyone with a nervous disposition.<\/p>\n
But it was magnificent. The Wallabies scored six tries, attacked with genuine purpose, defended with extraordinary desperation and, when everything started going completely pear-shaped, simply refused to lie down. For all the talk about the Springboks\u2019 bench, their physicality and their ability to dominate matches late, Australia found a way. Even with 14. Even with 13. Even with 12. Even with 11.<\/p>\n
Les Kiss\u2019 Wallabies have now produced arguably their most significant victory of the era. The world champions came to Perth expecting to leave with the Mandela Challenge Plate. Instead, they\u2019re heading home wondering how on earth they managed to lose to eleven blokes. And honestly? We don\u2019t care. The Wallabies have the bloody thing.<\/p>\n
Three things we learned<\/p>\n
The Wallabies have discovered something rather useful: belief. For years, Australian sides have found ways to lose matches they should have won. Tonight, they found a way to win one they absolutely could have lost. That is a significant difference. When South Africa came charging back, the Wallabies didn\u2019t fold. They kept making tackles, kept competing at the breakdown and kept throwing bodies into the way. That\u2019s belief. And it is bloody contagious.<\/p>\n
Fraser McReight and Brandon Paenga-Amosa made life miserable at the breakdown. The Springboks want quick ball when they\u2019re attacking and clean ball when they\u2019re building pressure. McReight and Paenga-Amosa had other ideas. Their work at the breakdown gave Australia the opportunity to slow South Africa\u2019s momentum and forced the visitors to work for virtually every metre. Against the world\u2019s best pack, that was enormous.<\/p>\n
Les Kiss has built a Wallabies side that refuses to panic \u2013 There was a time when going down to 14 men against South Africa would have felt like the beginning of the end. Tonight, Australia somehow survived with 11. That doesn\u2019t happen without composure, fitness, defensive organisation and a squad willing to keep doing the job even when everything around them is falling apart. The Wallabies weren\u2019t perfect. They didn\u2019t need to be. They needed to be brave. And, goodness me, they were.<\/p>\n
Wallaroos 30 defeated Scotland 10<\/p>\n
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Wallaroos bring the second-half magic to touch up the Haggis Eaters \u2013 Well, that escalated quickly. The Wallaroos went into half-time in Edinburgh five points down, apparently having decided that making life difficult for themselves was the preferred option. Then someone presumably found the \u201cbloody well play rugby\u201d button at half-time. Because Australia came out for the second half and absolutely belted Scotland off the park.<\/p>\n
A devastating seven-minute burst produced three tries and 19 unanswered points, turning a 10-5 deficit into a 24-10 lead and ultimately delivering a thoroughly deserved 30-10 victory. Twenty-five unanswered points in the second half. Yep. That\u2019s more like it.<\/p>\n
After the frustration of last week\u2019s French adventure \u2014 where Australia had a numerical advantage and somehow managed to make hard work of it \u2014 there was no such nonsense in Edinburgh. Once Scotland went down to 14, the Wallaroos saw the opportunity, grabbed it by the scruff of the neck and proceeded to make themselves thoroughly at home, which is probably what happens when you give Australians a bit of space.<\/p>\n
Scotland bring the wind and the whinge \u2013 To be fair to Scotland, they were bloody good in the first half. They had the wind behind them, played the conditions intelligently and spent plenty of time asking Australia\u2019s defence uncomfortable questions. Eventually, the pressure told. Number eight Evie Gallagher crashed over from close range in the 15th minute, and Scotland had a 5-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Australia tried to hit back, but Scotland\u2019s defence was stubborn. Every time the Wallaroos looked like getting something going, another Scottish jersey appeared to ruin the party. It was all getting a little frustrating. And when you\u2019re playing in Edinburgh with the wind howling around the place, you don\u2019t want to spend too much time chasing the scoreboard. Fortunately, Australia eventually found the key. And it came from a cracking bit of backline rugby.<\/p>\n
Waiaria Ellis launched a magnificent long pass which found Georgina Friedrichs in space. Friedrichs drew the defence beautifully before releasing Desiree Miller, who crossed for Australia\u2019s first try. It was a special one for Miller, taking her to 100 Test points. And while all that was happening, Michaela Leonard was celebrating another milestone, becoming the first Wallaroo to reach 50 Test caps. Unfortunately, Scotland weren\u2019t particularly interested in Australia\u2019s celebrations. They added another penalty before half-time. 10-5 Scotland. Time for a cuppa. And possibly a fairly stern Australian team meeting.<\/p>\n
Enter the Wallaroos\u2019 second-half demolition crew \u2013 Whatever was said in the sheds, it worked. The Wallaroos emerged after half-time looking like someone had replaced the batteries. Suddenly the carries had purpose. The support was there. The passes were sticking. The forwards were marching. And the Scottish defence was beginning to resemble a bloke trying to hold back the Brisbane River with a garden hose. Australia\u2019s rolling maul was particularly destructive.<\/p>\n
The Wallaroos drove towards the Scottish line, and Scotland were struggling badly to stop it. Gallagher eventually decided that the only way to stop the thing was to infringe. Unfortunately for her, the referee had noticed. \ud83e\uddc0. Scotland down to 14. Australia five metres from the line.<\/p>\n
And Samantha Wood standing nearby with the expression of someone who had just been handed a very generous invitation. Wood duly accepted. Over she went. 12-10 Australia. And that was when the wheels completely fell off the Scottish wagon. <\/p>\n
Seven minutes of Wallaroos carnage \u2013 Australia smelled blood. First up was Brianna Hoy. The loosehead prop received the ball, threw a dummy and then took off as she\u2019d just remembered she had left the oven on. A brilliant line. A powerful run. And Hoy crossed for her maiden Test try. The Wallaroos were suddenly flying. Then Miller broke clear from the restart. And when you\u2019ve got a player tearing through the middle of the park, the last thing you want is Faitala Moleka arriving on a perfectly timed crash-ball line.<\/p>\n
But that\u2019s exactly what happened. Miller released. Moleka hit the line. Scotland\u2019s defence disappeared. Try. Australia 24-10. Three tries. Seven minutes. Twenty-odd minutes earlier, Scotland were five points ahead. Now they were wondering whether someone had accidentally left the back door open. <\/p>\n
Moleka puts on a masterclass \u2013 While Hoy provided the thunder and Miller provided the spark, Faitala Moleka provided the brains. And bloody hell, did she run the game well. Moleka controlled the territory beautifully, using her boot to repeatedly shove Scotland back towards their own line. When Australia needed to play, she played. When Australia needed to kick, she kicked. When Australia needed to squeeze the life out of the game, she did exactly that. She was deservedly named Player of the Match.<\/p>\n
And then there was the scrum. Oh yes. The Australian scrum decided it had had enough of this Scottish carry-on. It absolutely dominated. With Australia consistently winning the battle up front, Wood was able to add two more penalties, and suddenly the scoreboard read: Scotland 10 \u2013 Australia 30. Game over. Thanks for coming. <\/p>\n
The conditions deteriorated as the match wore on, but Australia simply tightened the screws. The Wallaroos controlled territory, won the set piece and refused to give Scotland the opportunity to launch a late comeback. After being second-best for much of the first half, Australia completely owned the second half. <\/p>\n
A much-needed finish to the tour. The victory means the Wallaroos maintain their 100 per cent record against Scotland, winning all five Tests between the nations. More importantly, they finish their European campaign with a performance that gives them plenty of momentum. The Wallaroos will now return home, with Scotland heading Down Under for Tests against Australia in Sydney and Canberra in October.<\/p>\n
Assistant coach Mike Ruthven was understandably delighted with the way the side responded. \u201cI\u2019m really pleased to finish off what\u2019s been a really tough campaign for us. The girls have certainly been progressing in our performance week to week, so it\u2019s a really pleasing way to finish.\u201d And the second-half transformation was the key. \u201cCertainly had to work hard for it, but I thought the girls really increased the tempo in the second half and we\u2019re able to score some nice tries.\u201d No kidding. They didn\u2019t just increase the tempo. They went from \u201cthis is getting a bit awkward\u201d to \u201crighto, we\u2019re absolutely smashing them now\u201d in about seven minutes. That\u2019s the sort of response coaches dream about.<\/p>\n
There will still be plenty for the Wallaroos to clean up. The first half wasn\u2019t exactly a work of art, and better sides will punish those lapses. But there was plenty to like. The scrum was dominant. Moleka was outstanding. Miller was dangerous. Hoy announced herself with a cracking maiden try. And most importantly, when the match was there to be won, Australia went and bloody won it. Scotland might get another crack at them in Sydney and Canberra. But after what happened in Edinburgh, they might want to have a quiet word with the weather gods before they come.<\/p>\n
Because if the Wallaroos bring that second-half version of themselves Down Under\u2026 Good luck stopping them.<\/p>\n
Three things we learned<\/p>\n
This Wallaroos scrum means business \u2013 There are few things more satisfying in rugby than watching an Australian scrum absolutely flatten the opposition. And this one delivered. The Wallaroos dominated Scotland at the set piece and turned that dominance into territory, penalties and scoreboard pressure. It\u2019s a wonderful thing when the forwards decide they\u2019re going to make everyone\u2019s afternoon considerably easier.<\/p>\n
Faitala Moleka has got the keys to the Wallaroos\u2019 attack \u2013 Moleka wasn\u2019t flashy for the sake of being flashy. She was smart. She controlled the territory, kicked intelligently and made the right decisions when Australia needed to squeeze Scotland. That\u2019s Test rugby. You don\u2019t always need someone throwing miracle passes. Sometimes you just need someone who understands exactly when to put the boot into the opposition and when to put the foot down. Moleka did both.<\/p>\n
When this Wallaroos side clicks, bloody hell \u2013 The biggest takeaway from Edinburgh? The Wallaroos can score points very, very quickly. They were 10-5 down. Then came the rolling maul. The yellow card. Hoy. Miller. Moleka. And suddenly Scotland were 24-10 behind. That seven-minute burst showed exactly what this team is capable of when the forwards get momentum, the backs get space, and everyone starts playing at the same tempo. The challenge now is obvious. Australia can\u2019t afford to wait until half-time to find that version of themselves. Because if they can bring the second-half Wallaroos from the opening whistle\u2026<\/p>\n
Super Rugby AU<\/p>\n
Western Force 17 defeat the Waratahs 10<\/p>\n
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Force Stick it to the Tarts \u2013 Well, well, well. It turns out the Western Force are rather partial to doing things the hard way. Having already booked themselves a spot in the Swyftx Super Rugby AUS Grand Final, the Force headed east on Sunday knowing there was just one little matter left to settle \u2014 who gets to host the big dance? After 80 minutes of wet-weather slugging, rolling mauls, tactical kicking and enough defensive desperation to make a Queenslander feel right at home, the answer is Western Australia.<\/p>\n
The Force came from behind to grind out a 17-12 victory over the NSW Waratahs at Pittwater Rugby Park, securing three wins from three and, more importantly, the right to host the Grand Final in Perth. And somewhere in Western Australia, a certain bloke called Kurtley Beale is probably already checking the surf report. The revenge mission is officially booked. The irony isn\u2019t lost on anyone.<\/p>\n
Last year, the Waratahs travelled west, gatecrashed the Force\u2019s party and returned home with the inaugural Super Rugby AUS title after winning 33-26 at Wanneroo. This time around, the Force have returned the favour. Well\u2026 sort of. They\u2019ve won the trip to the Grand Final, they\u2019ve won the hosting rights, and they\u2019ve now got another crack at claiming the trophy on home soil.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Tahs, meanwhile, will have to pack the kit bag again. That\u2019s probably the bit the Force were most keen to avoid. Wet weather, rolling mauls and plenty of old-fashioned footy. There wasn\u2019t much room for champagne rugby at Pittwater. The conditions were wet, greasy and thoroughly unpleasant \u2014 basically the sort of afternoon where the ball develops a mind of its own, and nobody should be trusted with a five-metre pass. The Force didn\u2019t care. They went straight to their bread and butter. Maul. Maul. Maul.<\/p>\n
Hooker Nic Dolly was nearly over inside three minutes, only to be held up after the Force drove towards the line. Luke Reimer somehow escaped a yellow card after being caught off his feet, giving the \u2018Tahs an early escape route. And then NSW struck. Isaac Fonua secured a 10-metre lineout before Ethan Dobbins latched onto the rolling maul and powered over. The \u2018Tahs had the first punch. The Force, however, weren\u2019t particularly interested in staying down.<\/p>\n
Hastie and Beale turn the screws \u2013 The visitors kept piling on the pressure, and scrum-half Nathan Hastie was again showing why he has become one of the most dangerous little men in Australian rugby. After Wallace Charlie made the crucial break, Hastie was in support and finished the move to put the Force ahead. Beale knocked over the conversion, and suddenly the Force were in front 7-5.<\/p>\n
For Hastie, it was another try in another impressive performance \u2014 taking his tally to five tries from three games. Five. From three. At this point, perhaps someone should check whether the bloke has been issued a temporary winger\u2019s jersey.<\/p>\n
The Waratahs hit back before half-time, however, with Tom Robertson receiving a yellow card for a late tackle and NSW taking full advantage. Dobbins crossed for his second try of the afternoon, and Max Burey converted. The \u2018Tahs went into the sheds leading 12-7. The Force had work to do.<\/p>\n
Captain Dolly says: \u201cRight, that\u2019s enough\u201d. Whatever was said in the Force sheds at half-time, it apparently involved reminding everyone that they had a Grand Final to host. The response was immediate. Beale put the Force deep into NSW territory with another of those wonderfully annoying tactical kicks that make opposition supporters question whether kicking is, in fact, a legitimate part of rugby. It is. And when you\u2019ve got Kurtley Beale doing it, for once he did it properly.<\/p>\n
The Force went back to the maul. Because of course they did. Dolly eventually emerged from the pile of bodies with the ball grounded. Conversion missed. Scores level. 12-all. Game on. Fakafanua delivers the knockout punch. The Force kept coming. Another Beale kick put the visitors deep in Waratahs territory, the rolling maul again doing its best impression of a slow-moving tank. The \u2018Tahs survived the first assault.<\/p>\n
They couldn\u2019t survive the second. Boston Fakafanua stepped inside after the maul had done the heavy lifting and crossed in the 49th minute to give the Force the lead. 17-12. And from there, it became a defensive exercise. The Waratahs had opportunities. They pushed. They probed. They threatened. But the Force defence simply refused to crack.<\/p>\n
Joe Dillon\u2019s awkward kick caused some late headaches, forcing Beale to scramble to prevent a 50-22. The \u2018Tahs still won the resulting lineout and had one last chance to make the Force sweat. But the WA boys weren\u2019t having it. Kalamunda prop Max Sawers came up with a crucial turnover after a massive tackle on Burey, and Beale eventually booted the ball away after the siren. Game over. Force 17, Waratahs 12.<\/p>\n
Grand Final hosting rights: secured. Dylan Pietsch made a welcome return from his foot injury and immediately looked like a bloke who\u2019d been waiting long enough to get back on the paddock. He brought energy, physicality and plenty of enthusiasm, making some strong carries in the first half and throwing himself into the defensive work. For a Force side heading into a Grand Final, getting players like Pietsch back at the right time could be a very handy development indeed. <\/p>\n
The Force are going home \u2013 The biggest takeaway from the afternoon wasn\u2019t the scoreboard. It was the composure. The Force trailed 12-7 at half-time in miserable conditions, away from home, against a side that had already beaten them in last year\u2019s Grand Final. They didn\u2019t panic. They didn\u2019t try to turn Pittwater into Eden Park. They went back to their strengths. The forwards ground out the metres. The maul kept rolling. Hastie and Beale controlled the territory.<\/p>\n
Dolly did what hookers are supposed to do and wandered over the line. And when the Waratahs came looking for the equaliser, the Force defence slammed the door shut. Now the Force get to head back west. And they won\u2019t be going alone. They\u2019ll be taking the Swyftx Super Rugby AUS Grand Final with them. After last year\u2019s heartbreak, Perth gets another crack. And this time, the Force get to choose the weather. Good luck with that.<\/p>\n
Three things we learned from the game<\/p>\n
The Force\u2019s maul is becoming a serious weapon \u2013 When the conditions get wet, and the game becomes a forwards\u2019 arm wrestle, the Force know exactly where to go. Their rolling maul repeatedly put the Waratahs under pressure and produced tries for Dolly. It\u2019s not complicated rugby \u2014 but bloody hell, it can be effective.<\/p>\n
Beale and Hastie are developing into a very useful 9-10 combination \u2013 Hastie\u2019s running threat and Beale\u2019s experience and tactical kicking gave the Force control of a match that could easily have slipped away from them. They didn\u2019t need to play pretty. They just needed to play smart.<\/p>\n
Grand Finals are won with defence as much as attack \u2013 The Force scored just 17 points, but it was their ability to defend the final quarter that ultimately decided the contest. The Waratahs had chances to level the match, but the Force kept turning up, making the tackles and winning the crucial collisions.<\/p>\n
ACT Brumbies 33 defeated Queensland Reds 26<\/p>\n
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Brumbies Finally get a Victory \u2013 The Brumbies have finally cracked it! After a Super Rugby AUS campaign that has produced plenty of promise, plenty of young blokes putting their hands up, and just enough frustration to make a Canberra fan question their life choices, the ACT Brumbies have finally landed their maiden victory. And they did it in style.<\/p>\n
The Brumbies finished their 2026 Super Rugby AUS campaign with a thoroughly entertaining 33\u201326 victory over the Queensland Reds at Viking Park, surviving a late Queensland charge to send the home crowd into the Canberra drizzle with something to celebrate. And if this competition was about uncovering the next generation of Brumbies talent, Stephen Larkham\u2019s notebook is going to be looking pretty damn full tonight.<\/p>\n
Greasy conditions and slippery fingers \u2013 With the clouds rolling over Viking Park and a light drizzle falling at kick-off, conditions were about as friendly to attacking rugby as a wet bar of soap. The pill was greasy, the handling was dodgy, and the Brumbies twice looked to have intercepted their way to breakaway tries \u2014 only for the ball to squirt through desperate fingers at precisely the wrong moment.<\/p>\n
The Reds enjoyed most of the early possession and spent the opening quarter asking plenty of questions of the Brumbies defence. The home side refused to crack. That was until hooker Liam Bowron was sent to the bin for repeated infringements, giving Queensland the numerical advantage they needed. The Reds wasted no time.<\/p>\n
Hands Down made good ground down the left before Tim Ryan finished the job, diving over beside the posts. Ben Volavola converted, and suddenly the visitors had a 7\u20130 lead with 15 minutes left in the opening half. But then Corey Toole happened. Because, well\u2026 Corey Toole.<\/p>\n
Corey Toole does Corey Toole things \u2013 The Brumbies were camped inside the Queensland 22 when Tane Edmed\u2019s grubber ricocheted around the defence \u2014 and somehow ended up bouncing back towards Toole. The Brumbies flyer initially appeared to have knocked on, but rather than standing around waiting for the rugby gods to deliver an apology, Toole simply hit the accelerator.<\/p>\n
He regathered the ball milliseconds before it hit the deck and scampered over for one of those tries that makes you wonder whether the bloke has been fitted with a second set of eyes. Edmed couldn\u2019t convert from out wide, but the Brumbies were alive at 7\u20135. And they weren\u2019t finished. Captain Toby Macpherson then powered over from close range, with Edmed knocking over the conversion to put the Brumbies ahead 12\u20137. <\/p>\n
The Reds, however, had one more punch left before half-time. Their skipper Matt Faessler burrowed over from close range in the dying minutes, although Volavola couldn\u2019t add the extras. 12\u201312 at oranges. Game on.<\/p>\n
The Brumbies find another gear \u2013 Whatever Larkham said during the break, the Brumbies clearly listened. They came out of the sheds like they\u2019d discovered the good biscuits in the coaches\u2019 room. Just five minutes into the second half, Kadin Pritchard produced one of the game\u2019s standout moments.<\/p>\n
The outside centre scooped up a loose ball and went into full backyard-footy mode, stepping three defenders before finding a gap and accelerating away to score. Edmed converted. 19\u201312 Brumbies. And suddenly Canberra had momentum. With 30 minutes still to play, Larkham began calling upon his extended Super Rugby AUS bench, and one particular replacement decided he wasn\u2019t interested in merely making up the numbers.<\/p>\n
Enter Darcy \u201cBreen Machine\u201d Breen. The super-sub crossed for his second try in as many weeks, giving Larkham another reason to scribble his name into that increasingly crowded notebook. Edmed did what Edmed had been doing all afternoon and nailed the conversion. 26\u201312. The Brumbies were cooking. Reilly and Sapsford turned on the razzle-dazzle, and then came the try of the afternoon.<\/p>\n
Triston Reilly started it. And finished it. The young winger received the ball around halfway, stepped his opposite and exploded through open space, covering around 30 metres before linking up beautifully with Ollie Sapsford. A slick one-two later and Reilly was back in possession, leaving the remaining Reds defenders chasing shadows as he crossed in the left-hand corner. It was fast. It was sharp. It was exactly the sort of rugby Brumbies supporters will be hoping to see a whole lot more of. Edmed converted again. 33\u201312.<\/p>\n
With the game entering its final quarter, the Brumbies appeared to have it tucked away. Naturally, that\u2019s when things got interesting. The Reds refuse to die. A second Brumbies \ud83e\uddc0, this time to David Feliuai, handed Queensland a late lifeline. The Reds took it. Reserve scrum-half Flynn McDermott took a quick tap and darted over from close range, with Volavola converting to make it 33\u201319.<\/p>\n
Then, with the clock winding down, Queensland crossed again. Suddenly the margin was just seven. The Brumbies faithful may have started checking whether they still had fingernails left. But the home side held firm. The Reds couldn\u2019t find the score they needed, and the Brumbies celebrated a 33\u201326 victory. Finally. A Brumbies win.<\/p>\n
While the result itself will be welcomed, perhaps the most encouraging aspect of the afternoon was the number of young Brumbies who stood up when given their opportunity. Toole was typically electric, Pritchard produced a cracking individual effort, Reilly and Sapsford combined beautifully, Breen continued his recent try-scoring form, and Edmed provided a steady hand off the tee. That\u2019s exactly what Super Rugby AUS was supposed to provide. A chance to develop players. A chance to test combinations.<\/p>\n
And a chance for coaches to discover who might be ready to step up when Super Rugby Pacific rolls around in February. For Larkham, the homework has been done. For the young Brumbies, the auditions are underway.<\/p>\n
And for Queensland? Well, they probably won\u2019t want to see Corey Toole on a wet afternoon again any time soon.<\/p>\n
Three Things We Learned<\/p>\n
Corey Toole remains a box of frogs \u2013 You can have a defensive structure. You can have a game plan. You can have every opposition player accounted for. And then Corey Toole gets the ball. His try was pure Toole \u2014 instinctive, chaotic and bloody brilliant. The bloke doesn\u2019t need much of an invitation to turn a loose ball into six points.<\/p>\n
The Brumbies are finding some serious young talent \u2013 Pritchard, Reilly, Sapsford and Breen all made significant contributions, while several other youngsters showed enough to suggest the Brumbies are developing some genuine depth. That\u2019s the real prize from a competition like Super Rugby AUS. The scoreboard says 33\u201326. Larkham\u2019s selection headache says something considerably more positive.<\/p>\n
Larkham has plenty to work with heading into 2027 \u2013 The Brumbies may not have had everything go their way during Super Rugby AUS, but this performance showed what can happen when the young squad gets confidence, continuity and a bit of attacking freedom. There were still defensive lapses, and the two \ud83e\uddc0 will certainly feature in the post-match review. But there was also speed, ambition, individual brilliance and some cracking support play. If this is the foundation, the Brumbies head into the next phase of their preparations with plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The Breen Machine is firing. The young blokes are putting their hands up. And Corey Toole is still doing Corey Toole things. Bring on February.<\/p>\n
Anyway GAGRs! That is all the capacity I have this weekend to watch and write about Ruggers! Over to you lot. Have at it!<\/p>\n
Stay in the loop with G&GR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Happy Monday, G&GRs. Lots of rugby on again this weekend. Firstly, we will look at the Wallabies V…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":907561,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,44,1721,228,760,85,29898,2500],"class_list":["post-907560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-news","tag-opinion","tag-review","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-super-rugby","tag-wallabies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=907560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/907560\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/907561"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=907560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=907560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=907560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}