The ACT Brumbies find themselves in a challenging position early in the season after suffering a 49-34 defeat against the Chiefs, who are currently leading the competition. On Saturday in Hamilton, the Brumbies managed to score six tries, matching the Chiefs, but struggled with their kicking, converting just two out of six attempts, while the Chiefs successfully converted eight out of nine, including three penalties.
Despite the loss, there were standout performances, with Anton Lienert-Brown and Gideon Wrampling each tallying two tries for the Chiefs, while Andy Muirhead scored a brace for the Brumbies. After three rounds, the Brumbies hold a record of 1-2, matching the number of losses they faced in last year’s 12-2 regular season.
The match was tightly contested, with the score tied at 15-15 by half-time and again at 29-29 after 62 minutes. However, the Brumbies struggled to manage the kick-off after Muirhead’s second try, paving the way for Wrampling’s crucial response for the Chiefs.
Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa expressed his pride in the team’s effort, noting improvement in certain areas, yet highlighted the need for greater precision in key moments, especially around kick-off receipts. He acknowledged the team’s commitment and energy during the match but stressed the importance of being more clinical in their execution.
Looking ahead, the Brumbies will remain in New Zealand as they prepare to face the defending champions, the Blues, in Auckland next Friday. Alaalatoa noted the benefit of spending extended time together as a team early in the season, as such back-to-back away games are rare opportunities for them to bond.
On the other hand, the undefeated Chiefs will travel to Fiji to take on the winless Drua, buoyed by the return of outside back Shaun Stevenson from Japan.
Match Summary:
Chiefs 49: (Lienert-Brown 2, Wrampling 2, Jacomb, Tupaea tries; McKenzie 4 con, 2 pen; Jacomb con, pen)
Brumbies 34: (Muirhead 2, Frost, Meredith, Toole, L Lonergan tries; Debreczeni 2 con)