Free flowing in the first-half, and dogged in the second, the Plus500 Brumbies put on a complete performance in their 42-19 victory against the Sunwolves.
A second half hat-trick from substitute Connal McInerney helped the Brumbies secure the win this afternoon in Tokyo, after Pete Samu, Tom Banks and Irae Simone's first half five pointers.
The win ensures the Brumbies remain 5 points clear on top of the Australian conference, in a strong position to make finals, with an away test at the 'Tahs followed by the Reds at GIO Stadium remaining on the calendar for now.
🎶 🇯🇵🐴The band goes international! #PROUDTOBEABRUMBY pic.twitter.com/fImjAySICU
— Plus500 Brumbies (@BrumbiesRugby) June 1, 2019
The Sunwolves opened the scoring just one minute into the game, racing out to a 7-0 lead thanks to winger Hosea Saumaki.
Not rattled, the Brumbies responded. An Irae Simone break down the right edge opened up space to attack, and he found Pete Samu in support to score the Brumbies firs try. A sublime conversion from Christian Lealiifano brought the scores level.
Locked at 7-7, the Sunwolves were impressive in defence on several occasions holding out the Brumbies maul and keeping them tryless while attacking the line.
However, the strong defence couldn’t hold out Simone who made his third linebreak of the afternoon and dove over the line to put the visitors in the lead.
A beautiful display of champagne rugby from the Brumbies put them further ahead with a try that will be shown in all the highlights packages this weekend.
Lealiifano put in a deft chip to Henry Speight open on the wing, who threw a perfectly weighted offload to Tevita Kuridrani who in turn found Tom Banks to finish off the move.
The Sunwolves scrum struggled to compete with the Brumbies, and this helped the Brumbies keep the ball out of their half, but an amazing individual try to Semisi Masirewa kept the home team within 9 points going into half time at 12-21.
The Brumbies defended well in the opening of the second half, and eventually after carrying the ball upfield they secure a line out close to the Sunwolves’ line.
Connal McInerney, who had come onto the field at the start of the second half to replace Folau Fainga’a, scored a try off the back of the ensuing maul to extend the Brumbies lead to 12-28.
Within minutes of the try, Masirewa sliced through the Brumbies defence again and set up Jamie Booth to go over the line untouched, cutting down the lead once more.
The Brumbies worked the ball up the field again after the kick-off, and when they were awarded a penalty in the attacking half, they again opted for the line out.
Another well set up maul put the Brumbies across the line, and it was again McInerney with his second try.With ten minutes left in the game, McInerny was hungry for his hattrick and he was given the opportunity with a line out in great field position.
The Brumbies boys rallied behind their hooker with a superb team effort to get him across the line again.The convincing Brumbies win puts them 5 points clear of the Melbourne Rebels on top of the Australian conference standings.
Next Saturday night they play the NSW Waratahs at Bankwest Stadium in Sydney.
Statistics:
Brumbies: (21) 42 (T: Samu, Simone, Banks, McInerny (3), C: Lealiifano (6))
Sunwolves: (12) 19 (T: Saumaki, Masirewa, Booth, C: Parker (2))
Team:
1. James SLIPPER (17. Scott SIO 50’), 2. Folau FAINGA’A (16. Connal MCINERNEY 40’), 3. Allan ALAALATOA (18. LESLIE LEULUAIALII-MAKIN 67’), 4. Rory ARNOLD (19. Darcy SWAIN 57'), 5. Sam CARTER (20. Lachlan MCCAFFREY 52’), 6. Tom CUSACK, 7. Jahrome BROWN (21. Rob VALETINI 45’), 8. Pete SAMU, 9. Joe POWELL (21. Matt LUCAS 73’), 10. Christian LEALIIFANO, 11. Toni PULU, 12. Irae SIMONE 13. Tevita KURIDRANI, 14. Henry SPEIGHT (22. Tom WRIGHT 43’) 15. Tom BANKS
