March 24 (Reuters) – The ACT Brumbies brought a shuddering
halt to Otago Highlanders’ perfect start to the Super Rugby
season with a shock 33-26 victory over the New Zealanders in
Canberra on Saturday.
Winger Joe Tomane bagged two tries in the first 15 minutes
and flanker Michael Hooper chipped in with an opportunist effort
after the break while flyhalf Christian Lealiifano kicked a
perfect seven from seven with the boot.
It was a third win in four matches for the Brumbies this
season under new South African coach Jake White after they won
four in total over their last campaign.
“We back ourselves and I think you can see from the way we
play that we trust each other,” a delighted Brumbies captain Ben
Mowen said in a pitchside interview. “This is our home and we
know we’ve got to play in a different gear here.”
The Highlanders, who had won their first four matches to top
the Super Rugby standings, scored tries through scrumhalf Aaron
Smith and centre Shaun Treeby but lost flyhalf Colin Slade to
what looked like being a season-ending injury.
The luckless Slade, who missed most of last season after
breaking his jaw twice and was ruled out the World Cup with a
groin injury, badly injured his ankle in a Pat McCabe tackle
after 50 minutes and was taken off the pitch on a stretcher.
Tomane’s early strikes gave the home side an early lead
despite a paltry amount of possession but the Highlanders hit
back through Smith’s try after good work from Hosea Gear before
the break.
When Treeby got up from a tackle and dashed across the line
nine minutes after halftime, the match was all square at 23-23
and the momentum seemed to be with the visitors.
The teams traded penalties in the middle of the second half
but the match was decided when openside Hooper snaffled up a
loose ball inside the Highlanders’ 22 and just about made it to
the line after 62 minutes.
Continued…
