The Plus500 Brumbies have gone down valiantly to the Crusaders 31-29 in the opening round of Harvey Norman Super Rugby Trans-Tasman at Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch.
Tom Banks’ marvellous individual try late on and a Rob Valetini effort after the bell gave Noah Lolesio the chance to nab the Brumbies a draw, and though his kick narrowly missed the mark, the visitors took a losing bonus-point from the home of the Super Rugby Aotearoa Champions.
The home side came of the gates firing, moving the ball and offloading at will. It took little time for cracks to appear, and it was Ethan Blackadder who would dot down, though there was a suspicion of a forward pass.
The Brumbies hung tough, and worked their way back into the contest. Some nimble feet from Lolesio, who was outstanding on the night, got the Brumbies moving forward and a deft offload from Ryan Lonergan put Scott Sio in enough space to drive over the line.
Mere minutes later, the Crusaders were back in front, a touch of pure class from Richie Mo’unga seeing the flyhalf glide over.
David Havili’s intercept try with five to play in the opening period looked to have edged the Crusaders too far ahead, as they went into the sheds 19-7 up.
The Brumbies were far from beaten however and started the second half with ten minutes of gutsy, dominant defence.
From there, the Brumbies launched, and when they got close enough, milestone centre Irae Simone was on hand to sneak over from inches out.
Lolesio added a penalty goal to the Brumbies tally, to draw them closer. That seemed to snap the clinical Crusaders into action.
Converted tries to Brendan O’Connor and Cullen Grace looked to have put the Brumbies to bed late, but at 31-17 the Brumbies still refused to die.
Off a wide scrum, the Brumbies moved the ball right. Banks found the ball, 55m from home and though he had a couple to beat, somehow he wriggled through and raced away for the pick of the tries.
Lolesio’s brilliant conversion, gave the Brumbies a sniff.
Successive penalties gave the Brumbies hope, then deep inside the Crusaders 22m, the Brumbies piled body after body at the line, debutant Tom Hooper taking more than three carries in quick succession.
A hail-mary pass from Simone found Tom Wright out wide, and the winger had the awareness to flick inside to Valetini who bullied his way over, sending Brumbies fans wild from across the ditch.
Though Lolesio couldn’t convert from the touchline, the Brumbies had earned a bonus-point, and the plaudits of watchers from both sides of the Tasman.
A thrilling contest, the Brumbies now look to back it up against the Chiefs next Saturday, May 22 at FMG Stadium, Waikato.
Crusaders 31 (T: Blackadder, Mo’Unga, Havili, O’Connor, Grace; C: Mo’unga 3) def Plus500 Brumbies 29 (T: Sio, Simone, Banks, Valetini; C: Lolesio 3; P: Lolesio)
