The previously undefeated NSW Waraahs came and left the graveyard that is Canberra stadium with plenty of bruises but zero precious Super 14 points in their collective pocket. Helped by a shaky Kurley Beale boot and a crowd who for 80 mins made a noise akin to a 747 landing, the Brumbies led from start to finish in an enthralling and brutal exhibition of rugby tarnished only slightly by incessant scrum-resets.
At the expense of sounding trite, it truly was a team effort from the men with the gold stripes along their chests. Every single player who took the field played with the absolute vigour and intensity. While the Tahs were probably the better team in the first 40, the Brumbies hung in there and deprived them of producing anything meaningful on the scorebored before trampling the flower-power in a masterful second half.
For me, Gerrard, Lealifano and Tyrone Smith stood out in the backs while in the pack George “I’ve never had a bad game in my life” Smith was a constant menace for the hapless Tahs. The great George Gregan also showed great competance in his new career running the touchline.
The only downside for our boys was an injury to Stephen Hoiles and a brutal KO (via elbow) to a very battered Mark Chisolm. But in a game as physical as this was, we probably got off fairly lightly.
Must have been a top night for those doing the Caps-Brumbies double!
[ED – and with competent players inside and outside Leilifano was suddenly a world beater]
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