The Brumbies Runners have beaten the Auckland Contenders 49-14 on a sunny afternoon at David Campese Oval in Queanbeyan.
The home side controlled the match from start to finish with Gungahlin Eagles winger Mack Hansen scoring twice in the first half.
The Brumbies side started the game fast, with Hansen taking just five minutes to score the first try after a great line break by Jordan Jackson-Hope.
An early shoulder charge from Auckland’s Tevita Latu was deemed by the referee to be enough for a yellow card, and the home side took advantage during this period by adding on another seven pointer through number eight Jahrome Brown off the back of an attacking scrum.
A penalty kick attempt by the visitors minutes later bounced off the leftv upright, setting them up in great field position, and it didn’t take them long to get on the scoreboard after a strong run from flanker Aleck Dabeck.
Later in the half Hansen bagged his second try, while Latu made up for his time in the sin bin by busting a tackle next to the posts and dotting down to keep Auckland within striking distance.
Some sustained pressure near the try line allowed Brumbies Runners’ big man Murray Douglas to score on the buzzer to give the home side a 28-14 lead at half time.
A try to flanker Jack Farrell early in the second half added to the home side’s lead, with the Brumbies Runners then managing to keep the Auckland team pinned in their half for the next twenty minutes.
The pace of the match slowed down in the second stanza with the Canberra team making a lot of errors, but the visitors were unable to capitalise on these mistakes.
The home side added to their lead again after a brilliant offloadclose to the line put Rory Scott over untouched.
Jahrome Brown scored his second try of the night with just seconds remaining to give the Brumbies a convincing 49-14 win.
The Auckland Contenders will face the Waratahs A next week and will welcome back three players into the squad including Mitre 10 Cup standout fullback Jordan Trainor.
The Brumbies Runners have upcoming fixtures against the NSW Waratahs A and the Sunwolves A sides.
Brumbies Runners (28) 49 (T: Hansen (2), Brown (2), Douglas, Farrell, Scott C: Lonergan (6) Goddard (1))Auckland Contenders (14) 14 (T: Latu, Dabeck C: Polson (2))
TEAMS: Brumbies Runners: 1.Vunipola FIFITA (18. Angus WAGNER 40’) 2. ConnalMCINERNEY (17. TP LUTERU 70’) 3. Tom ROSS (16. Fred KAIHE 65’) 4. Darcy SWAIN 5. Murray DOUGLAS6. Lachlan OSBORNE (19. Ben LOVE 47’) 7. Jack FARRELL (20. Rory SCOTT 60’) 8. Jahrome BROWN 9. Ryan LONERGAN (21. Seamus SMITH 70’) 10. Noah LOLESIO (Billy Carberry 65’) 11. Mack HANSEN 12. Bayley KUENZLE 13. Len IKITAU (23. Brendan JIMINEZ 70’) 14. Lincoln SMITH (22. Will GODDARD 56’) 15. Jordan JACKSON-HOPE
COACH: Dan HOOPER
Auckland Contenders: 1.Seleti Tu’ungafasi (18. Cam Betham 47’) 2. Frank MALU(Mike SOSENE-FEAGAI 60’) 3. Jarred ADAMS (17. Antonio RIPATA 47’) 4. Jamie LANE 5. Sam SLADE 6. Cameron SUAFOA (19. Waimana RIEDLINGER-KAPA) 7. Aleck DABECK 8. Ezra MELEISEA (20. Malgene ILAUA 51’) 9. Pele Cowley (21. Paul RICHARDS) 10. Ollie POLSON 11. AJ LAM 12. Matt JOHNSON 13. Tevita LATU (22. Junior MATAUTIA 40’) 14. Hawaii AKOHOVI 15. Ethan THOMPSON (23. Sam GILTRAP 40’)
COACH: Tai LAVEA
Words: Patrick Woods
