Chiefs hold off Brumbies for crown
Print Edition
The Waikato Chiefs came from behind to beat the ACT Brumbies 27-22 in the Super 15 final yesterday, to reinforce their standing as the southern hemisphere rugby powerhouse.
The Chiefs claimed their second Super crown in as many years with a 15-point closing burst after trailing 12-22 with 17 minutes to go.
Before a packed crowd of 25,000 at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, the Chiefs outscored the Brumbies two tries to one.
Man of the match Liam Messam and replacement fullback Robbie Robinson both crossed the line while Aaron Cruden landed one conversion and five penalties. Wallaby Christian Lealiifano scored all the Brumbies points with a converted try and five penalties.
Chiefs coach Dave Rennie praised his side’s courage for the way they fought back when the Brumbies had command.
“It was a messy first half. They were able to get in and slow a lot of our ball and steal ball and we got sucked into trying to push too many passes. So there was real character shown in that second half.
We got great impact off the bench,” he said.
Brumbies coach Jake White, who in the space of two seasons has transformed the team from a spent force into a title contender, was disappointed to see victory slip away in the dying stages.
“Last week we were dead and buried in the 78th minute and we ended up winning (against the Bulls) and I had a little feeling it might happen again tonight,” he said. “Obviously you have to be a bit disappointed in that.”
Through a quirk of the draw the Chiefs did not play the Brumbies in the regular season and were caught off guard early by the Brumbies pack, led by captain and backrower Ben Mowen.
As the Brumbies worked their way through the White coaching handbook they kicked for position, put pressure on a scrambling Chiefs to draw penalties, and inside-center Lealiifano had them 9-0 ahead inside the first quarter.
The Chiefs managed to draw level through three quick penalties by Cruden before Lealiifano produced the first try of the match. A further Lealiifano penalty extended their lead to 19-9 immediately after half-time, and a further exchange of three-pointers with Cruden had the visitors up 22-12 before the Chiefs found top gear.
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