The Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies moved into the top four of the Smartech Super Rugby Pacific table with a 34-27 win over the Highlanders on GIO Stadium.
Tries from Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa, Andy Muirhead, Corey Toole and Len Ikitau saw the home side overcome a spirited challenge from the Otago-based side.
It certainly wasn’t plain sailing to start for the Brumbies, losing Corey Toole to a yellow card only 10 seconds into the match.
It was a penalty conceded by the Highlanders, however, that saw Noah Lolesio open the scoring for the home side in the 5th minute with a penalty.
The visitors were eventually able to capitalise on Toole’s absence, their two wingers combining to take the lead after 11 minutes.
The next 10 minutes saw both sides struggle to maintain possession, as a combination of quality defence and chaotic attack looked to define the first half.
The Brumbies gained the upper hand in the arm-wrestle, with a Billy Pollard try capping off a stylish passage of play in the 22nd minute.
The Canberrans went within centimetres of extending their lead as their defensive pressure saw the ball spill into the Highlander's in-goal. Only the rare sight of a lunging prop could prevent David Feliuai from adding to the Brumbies total.
Despite somehow keeping the Brumbies rolling maul out, the visitors defensive effort only delayed the inevitable as Allan Alaalatoa crashed over in the 31st minute, the score now 15-5.
The Highlanders backline looked to have hit back in the 35th minute, before a knock-on was spotted in the lead-up by the TMO. The decision was met with the loudest reception of the first half from the parochial home fans.
The visitors came close to scoring again on the stroke of half-time but only got as far as local favourite Muirhead. The in-form winger’s tackle saw the ball dislodged from the attacker’s grasp, mere metres from the tryline.
That defensive desperation saw the Brumbies maintain their 10-point lead into half-time, with the score reading 15-5.
It was the Highlanders who landed the first blow of the second half, in similar fashion to their first try. This time, it was full-back Sam Gilbert who reaped the rewards, bringing the Otago side within three points.
The visitors capitalised on that momentum as Jona Nareki powered over in the 53rd minute to capture the lead at 19-15.
Superb, structured rugby saw Toole score in the corner to reclaim the Brumbies’ lead in the 62nd minute, though that wasn’t enough to settle the nerves of the anxious home supporters.
The match continued to see-saw, as a Sam Gilbert penalty saw the lead change hands yet again in the 65th minute.
A passage of dominance from the home side resulted in Muirhead's try in the 73rd minute, before Jack Debreczeni calmly slotted the extras from the sideline. That brought the score to 27-22 with only 5 minutes left to play.
The match was put beyond doubt in the 78th minute, as Ikitau crossed the line to secure victory for the home side.
The visitors threatened to forge a late come-back through a late try to Tangitau, yet it proved a case of too little, too late.
The return to winning ways couldn’t have come at a better time for the Brumbies, who head into next week’s bye sitting in the top four of the table.
