The Chiefs maintained their perfect start to the Super Rugby Pacific season with a breathtaking 49-34 victory over the ACT Brumbies in Hamilton on Saturday, but celebrations were tempered by a concerning late injury to star fullback Damian McKenzie.
Key moments:
7′ – Frost crashes over for opening try (0-5)
14′ – Lienert-Brown scores after Tupaea break (7-5)
17′ – Jacomb adds second Chiefs try (12-5)
21′ – Meredith responds for Brumbies (12-10)
30′ – Toole levels scores with try in corner (15-15)
47′ – Tupaea solo effort puts Chiefs ahead (22-15)
51′ – Wrampling scores with first touch (29-15)
57′ – Lonergan narrows gap from maul (29-22)
61′ – Muirhead levels scores (29-29)
64′ – Wrampling’s second try restores lead (36-29)
71′ – Muirhead’s second keeps Brumbies in touch (39-34)
77′ – Jacomb penalty extends lead (42-34)
80′ – Lienert-Brown seals victory (49-34)
In a scintillating encounter at FMG Stadium Waikato that featured 12 tries and multiple lead changes, the home side ultimately pulled clear in the final minutes to secure their third consecutive win of the campaign and cement their position atop the competition table.
The result somewhat soured celebrations for Brumbies veteran James Slipper, who joined Aaron Smith as Super Rugby’s most-capped player with his 185th appearance.
The Brumbies, looking to bounce back from their surprise 45-42 defeat to the Western Force last weekend, started with intent and were rewarded when lock Nick Frost powered over from close range in the seventh minute. Ryan Lonergan’s missed conversion would prove costly in a match where the visitors’ goal-kicking woes would become a recurring theme.
The Chiefs responded with a stunning counter-attack in the 14th minute, Quinn Tupaea carving through the Brumbies’ midfield before finding Manasa Mataele, who expertly offloaded inside for Anton Lienert-Brown to score. McKenzie’s conversion gave the hosts a lead they would quickly extend when fly-half Josh Jacomb displayed nimble footwork to score in the corner just three minutes later.
The see-saw nature of the contest continued when Brumbies flyhalf Declan Meredith finished off a well-worked move in the 21st minute, before Corey Toole added another try in the corner after the forwards methodically drew in the Chiefs defence to create space on the edge. Lonergan’s third missed conversion of the half meant the teams went to the break locked at 15-all.
Chiefs’ coach Clayton McMillian, who earlier in the week announced his departure to Munster at season’s end, must have delivered a rousing half-time address as his side emerged with renewed vigour. The impressive Tupaea produced the highlight of the match in the 47th minute, breaking the line before chipping ahead and winning the race to dot down.
When replacement Gideon Wrampling scored with his first touch minutes later, the Chiefs appeared to be pulling away at 29-15, but the resilient Brumbies refused to capitulate. Hooker Lachlan Lonergan crashed over from a driving maul before Andy Muirhead’s try in the 61st minute, converted by replacement Jack Debreczeni, remarkably levelled the scores at 29-all.
The momentum swing was short-lived, however, as the Chiefs struck immediately from the restart. Captain Tupou Vaa’i regained possession from the kick-off and sent Wrampling scampering down the left touchline for his second try, McKenzie’s conversion re-establishing a seven-point buffer.
The final twenty minutes developed into a tactical arm-wrestle as both sides sought supremacy. After Muirhead scored his second try to narrow the gap to 39-34, alarm bells rang for the Chiefs and All Blacks when McKenzie hobbled off with a hyperextended knee with about 10 minutes remaining, leaving the hosts to finish the match with 14 players having used all their replacements.
With the match in the balance, Jacomb stepped up admirably in McKenzie’s absence, slotting a critical penalty in the 76th minute to extend the lead beyond a converted try. The coup de grâce came after the full-time siren when Lienert-Brown intercepted a loose Brumbies pass near their own line when they attempted to run from a defensive scrum. Jacomb added the extras with an improvised drop-kick after the ball fell off the tee with time expired.
For the Brumbies, it was a second consecutive heartbreaking defeat in high-scoring thrillers despite outscoring the Chiefs six tries to five. They will be disappointed to have let another close match slip away, with their handling errors at crucial moments proving costly, particularly after the restart when Wrampling scored his decisive second try.
The result leaves the Chiefs (3-0) firmly established as early competition favourites, though McKenzie’s injury casts a shadow over their victory. They travel to Fiji next week to face the Fijian Drua in Lautoka, while the Brumbies (1-2) face another challenging New Zealand assignment against the Blues in Auckland.
In the context of the competition, the match showcased the attacking quality that has made Super Rugby Pacific such a compelling spectacle this season. For the Chiefs, the performances of centre duo Lienert-Brown and Tupaea were particularly encouraging, while Wrampling made a spectacular impact off the bench with his brace of tries with his first two touches of the ball.
The Brumbies will take heart from the performances of wingers Muirhead and Toole, both of whom caused the Chiefs defence significant problems throughout. Their method of drawing in the defence before striking out wide proved effective, but ultimately they lacked the finishing quality and defensive resilience of their hosts in the crucial final quarter.
For neutral observers, this was Super Rugby Pacific at its exhilarating best – end-to-end action, skilful attacking play, and drama until the final whistle. For the victorious Chiefs, the aftermath will be dominated by anxious wait for news on their talismanic fullback McKenzie, whose participation in coming weeks could be pivotal to their championship aspirations.
