Brumbies beat Highlanders in Canberra

 Out of the last five Super Rugby matches between the Canberra based Brumbies and the Dunedin based Highlanders the Brumbies have won four and the Highlanders one.

Match detail

We are waiting for the kick off.

The Brumbies kick off and we are underway. 

3.00: The Brumbies test the Highlanders defence early on. Both teams look like they want to play a fast game but handling lets them down. 

4.00: Lima Sopaga spills the ball after a scrum and the Brumbies pounce on it. Lealiifano and Pocock get the ball out to Henry Speight who uses his pace and scores. TRY! 

5.00: :Lealiifano adds the conversion. 

9.00: Penalty to the Brumbies. Lealiifano takes the kick and nails it. 

10.00: The Brumbies put the Highlanders under pressure again. Waisake Naholo just manages to ground the ball. The TMO checks to see if a Brumbies player had grounded it. No try. 5m scrum. 

12.00: The Brumbies win a penalty. They take the line out. David Pocock gets driven over in a maul and scores. TRY! 

14.00: Lealiifano slots the conversion. 

17.00: Penalty to the Highlanders. Lima Sopoaga takes the kick and puts them on the board. 

21.00: The Highlanders flirt with the Brumbies tryline. Nasi Manu gets close as does Sopoaga but they get held out. 

23.00: Penalty to the Highlanders. Sopoaga takes the kick and nails it. 

26.00: The Brumbies set up a scrum. They drive towards the line as it becomes a maul. Pocock goes over and scores for the second TRY! Even the backs came in to help push. 

28.00: Lealiifano takes the conversion kick and nails it. 

32.00: Pocock wins a penalty for the Brumbies. They kick for touch and the line out. They win the line out and on the 22m line they win another penalty for not rolling away. They will kick for touch. 

33.00: The Brumbies win the line out and they use the maul again. They get to the line but knock on. 

34.00: The Brumbies get the ball again and use the maul. Pocock is driven over again and he scores his third TRY! Bonus point for the Brumbies. 

35.00: Lealiifano adds the conversion. 

38.00: Penalty to the Highlanders. They kick for touch and the line out. The Highlanders initially win the line out but then the Brumbies turn it over and kick upfield. 

40.00: The siren sounds for half time. It is half time. 

The half time score is Brumbies 31 Highlanders 6

The Highlanders kick off and we are underway. 

The Highlanders win a penalty almost straight away. They kick for touch and the line out. 

43.00: The Highlanders work the ball to the line and Shaun Treeby slips over. TRY! 

44.00: Sopoaga slots the conversion. 

51.00: The Highlanders try to attack but they go to ground and concede a penalty. The Brumbies kick for touch and the line out. 

54.00: Jesse Mogg threatens for the Brumbies but then they concede a penalty and the Highlanders kick for touch. 

55.00: Brumbies come into the breakdown from the side which gives the Highlanders a penalty. They kick for touch.

57.00: The Highlanders win a line out out and they use the Brumbies tactics against them by setting up a maul. The backs come in and Dan Pryor scores. TRY! 

58.00: Sopoaga misses the conversion. 

66.00: Henry Speight chips the ball ahead and chases. He beats Naholo to the ball as he has to turn but loses the ball as he goes over to score. No Try. 

68.00: The Brumbies win the ball back from the scrum and try to attack but they can’t get through. They do however win a penalty. 

69.00: Lealiifano takes the kickbut misses. Joe Wheeler is off with a knee injury. Looks bad. 

74.00: Both teams still looking for points and to run the ball when they can. 

76.00: The Brumbies go through  14 phases on the attack gradually working the ball into the Highlanders 22. On the 15th phase they win a penalty. They kick for touch. 

77.00: The Brumbies win the line out and Pocock considers a fourth try as the maul begins but the Brumbies concede a penalty. 

78.00: The Highlanders kick for touch. 

80.00: The siren sounds but we have time for a scrum. The Highlanders can still earn a losing bonus point. They win a penalty and run the ball.

81.00: Naholo races down the touchline but slips a foot into touch. Thats it. Full time. 

The full time score is Brumbies 31 (31) Highlanders 18 (6)

Scorers

Brumbies
Tries – H.Speight, D.Pocock 3
Pen – C.Lealiifano
Con – C.Lealiifano 4
Drop –
Cards –

Highlanders
Tries – S.Treeby, D.Pryor
Pen – L.Sopoaga 2
Con – L.Sopoaga
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Matt O’Brien
Assistant Ref 1:Andrew Lees
Assistant Ref 2:Damien Mitchelmore
TMO : Peter Marshall

Teams

Brumbies

1. JP Smith , 2. Stephen Moore (c) , 3. Ruan Smith , 4. Jordan Smiler , 5. Blake Enever , 6. Scott Fardy , 7. David Pocock , 8. Ita Vaea , 9. Michael Dowsett , 10. Christian Lealiifano , 11. Joe Tomane , 12. Robbie Coleman , 13. Tevita Kuridrani , 14. Henry Speight , 15. Jesse Mogg

Replacements , 16. Josh Mann-Rea , 17. Allan Alaalatoa , 18. Ben Alexander , 19. Rory Arnold , 20. Jarrad Butler , 21. Joe Powell , 22. Rod Iona , 23. Nigel Ah Wong

Highlanders

1. Kane Hames , 2. Liam Coltman , 3. Pingi Tala’apitaga , 4. Tom Franklin , 5. Joe Wheeler , 6. Elliot Dixon , 7. James Lentjes , 8. Nasi Manu (C) , 9. Fumiaki Tanaka , 10. Lima Sopoaga , 11. Patrick Osborne , 12. Shaun Treeby , 13. Richard Buckman , 14. Waisake Naholo , 15. Trent Renata

Replacements : 16. Ash Dixon , 17. Brendon Edmonds , 18. Josh Hohneck , 19. Joe Latta , 20. Gareth Evans , 21. Dan Pryor , 22. Josh Renton , 23. Jason Emery