The CA Brumbies have completed their three-week South African tour with a 40-27 win over the Cheetahs at Vodacom Park this afternoon.
The ACT-based side outscored the Cheetahs four tries to three to secure the bonus-point win and push themselves to within five competition points of the top four.
Winger Alfi Mafi was strong in his run-on debut for the CA Brumbies after being included in the starting side following Clyde Rathbone’s forced withdrawal due to a quad strain while man-of-the-match Stephen Moore helped provide a solid platform in set piece and continually carried the ball over the gain line.
CA Brumbies Head Coach Andy Friend said the win was a much-needed one with the side returning to Canberra to face the Stormers.
“That was very pleasing and we definitely needed that,” he said.
“We needed that as a team for our season, and we needed that for the players and management after a pretty rough week.
“When we play controlled rugby I think we look good. When we lose our concentration and don’t do what we’re supposed to be doing, opposition sides seem to put points on us. That’s something for us to work on but what I was proud of was for large chunks of that match we did play controlled rugby and it gives the players belief that when they do that they can beat any side.”
The CA Brumbies began the match in a positive fashion with controlled possession and territory allowing flyhalf Christian Lealiifano to open the scoring with a third-minute drop goal before stepping his way through the Cheetahs defence to help establish a 10-0 lead after 10 minutes.
TMO Shaun Veldsman denied the visitors their second try three minutes later when he judged prop Ben Alexander to be held up over the line and it was left to Stirling Mortlock and Jacques Louis Potgieter to trade penalty goals and bring the score to 13-6 at the 32-minute mark.
The Cheetahs leveled the half-time scores when Nokwe capitalised on a one-man overlap down the left-hand side with Potgieter’s conversion locking it up at 13-all.
However, a second half three-try burst to the CA Brumbies within 10 minutes extended the score to 34-13 and secured a four-try bonus point.
Mark Gerrard literally kickstarted the second-half scoring in the 48th minute when he chipped over the defensive line and toed through the ball three times before scoring, while Peter Kimlin took advantage of some slick offloading by Mitch Chapman and George Smith to cross three minutes later.
Scrumhalf Joshua Holmes exposed some post defence and raced inside fullback Hennie Daniller to score the CA Brumbies fourth try under the posts.
Winger Danwel Demas stalled the flow of points against his side when he darted down the short side to score in the 60th minute, however, Gerrard put his side out to a 37-20 lead when he booted a 35-metre drop goal with seven minutes remaining.
Mortlock finished the afternoon with an unblemished goalkicking record when he drilled home a 79th minute penalty goal before utility forward Wayne van Heerden crossed in the corner on fulltime.
The CA Brumbies return to Canberra Stadium to take on the Stormers on Saturday, 11 April.
MATCH DETAILS
CA Brumbies 40 (Christian Lealiifano, Mark Gerrard, Peter Kimlin, Joshua Holmes tries; Stirling Mortlock 4/4 conversions, 2/2 penalty goals, Christian Lealiifano, 1/1 drop goal, Mark Gerrard 1/1 drop goal) defeated Cheetahs 27 (Jongi Nokwe, Danwel Demas, Wayne Van Heerden tries; Jacques-Louis Potgieter 3/3 conversions, 2/5 penalty goals) at Vodacom Park, Bloemfontein.
Referee: Matt Goddard (AUS)
Half time: 13-all
Crowd: 11,255
CA Brumbies
1. Ben Alexander
2. Stephen Moore
3. Guy Shepherdson
4. Ben Hand
5. Mark Chisholm
6. Mitchell Chapman
7. George Smith (c)
8. Julian Salvi
9. Joshua Holmes
10. Christian Lealiifano
11. Alfi Mafi
12. Tyrone Smith
13. Stirling Mortlock
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
15. Mark Gerrard
Reserves
16. Huia Edmonds
17. Salesi Ma’afu
18. Sitaleki Timani
19. Peter Kimlin
20. Patrick Phibbs
21. Gene Fairbanks
22. Francis Fainifo
Replacements
16. Huia Edmonds for 2. Stephen Moore (16th minute blood)
2. Stephen Moore for 16. Huia Edmonds (27th minute blood return)
19. Peter Kimlin for 5. Mark Chisholm (32nd minute)
17. Salesi Ma’afu for 3. Guy Shepherdson (56th minute)
20. Patrick Phibbs for 9. Joshua Holmes (63rd minute)
16. Huia Edmonds for 2. Stephen Moore (69th minute)
21. Gene Fairbanks for 10. Christian Lealiifano (69th minute)
22. Francis Fainifo for 11. Alfi Mafi (75th minute)
18. Sitaleki Timani for 6. Mitchell Chapman (79th minute)
Yellow Cards:
George Smith (62nd Minute)
Cheetahs
1. Wian du Preez
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Jacobus Roux
4. Wayne van Heerden
5. David de Villiers
6. Heinrich Brussow
7. Juan Smith (c)
8. Hendro Sholtz
9. Tewis de Bruyn
10. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
11. Jongi Nokwe
12. Meyer Bosman
13. Corne Uys
14. Danwel Demas
15. Hennie Daniller
Reserves
16. Richardt Strauss
17. Kobus Calldo
18. Nico Breedt
19. Kabamba Floors
20. Sarel Pretorius
21. Piet van Zyl
22. Fabian Juries
Replacements
<Not recorded>
NEXT GAME:
Investec Super 14 Week Nine
CA Brumbies v Stormers
Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Saturday, 11 April 2009
