Bonus point Brumbies brush Lions aside

The Brumbies moved back into the top three and to the top of the Australian Super Rugby Conference by beating the Lions 20-30 with a bonus point in Johannesburg.

The Brumbies outscored the Lions by four tries to one in the contest and is the Canberra side’s second victory in Johannesburg in a row.

Superb defence from the Brumbies kept South Africa’s Lions out for 25 minutes of the second half in Johannesburg before flanker Jaco Kriel snatched a try.

But seven minutes later any lingering doubts about the outcome were dispelled when winger Joe Tomane dived over in the corner.

Victory lifted the Canberra-based former champions five places to second on the combined southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship standings.

With the New Zealand’s Hurricanes 14 points clear at the top, the race is on to finish second, dodge the first series of play-offs, and secure a home semi-final.

The Brumbies are three points ahead of the Bulls and host the South Africans later this month in a match sure to have a major bearing on the final placings.

Lions, written off pre-season as likely whipping boys, have got out of jail numerous times, most recently when edging the Highlanders from New Zealand at Ellis Park last weekend.

But Lions skipper and No.8 Warren Whiteley and his team could not find the keys against the Brumbies and the result flattered them.

The South Africans gave the Australians a torrid time at the scrums for much of the match, but their overall performance was error-ridden and lacked momentum.

They also had no answer to Brumbies’ scrum-half Nic White, whose outstanding display included many pressure-relieving tactical kicks.

Although only three points below the last play-offs place, the Lions have to play two of their remaining three fixtures away, and the other is against defending champions the Waratahs of Australia.

Successful penalty kicks from fly-half Elton Jantjies and winger Ruan Combrinck gave the Lions an early six-point advantage before Lealiifano halved the deficit from another penalty.

The try blitz began on 18 minutes when Kuridrani burst between two Lions to dot down and continued when Vaea flung himself over the line from close range.

Shrugging off the loss of injured centre Matt Toomua, the visitors scored a third try on 26 minutes as Lealiifano caught a wild Lions pass and darted over.

Lealiifano converted two of the tries to give his side a 16-point cushion by the break.

After a Kriel try converted by Jantjies offered a ray of hope to the Lions, Tomane snuffed it out with his score giving the Australians a 13-27 advantage.

Brumbies full-back Jesse Mogg slotted a penalty and Lions full-back Andries Coetzee scored a late consolation try which substitute back Jaco van der Walt converted.

Next week the Brumbies have a bye and the Lions face the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

Final Score Lions 20 (6) Brumbies 30 (22)

Scorers

Lions 
Tries – J.Kriel, A.Coetzee
Pen – E.Jantjies, R.Combrinck
Con – E.Jantjies, J.van der Walt
Drop – 
Cards –

Brumbies
Tries – T.Kuridrani, I.Vaea, C.Lealiifano, J.Tomane
Pen – C.Lealiifano, J.Mogg
Con – C.Lealiifano 2
Drop – 
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant Ref 1:Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Ref 2:Stephan Geldenhuys
TMO : Johan Greeff

Teams

Lions

15. Andries Coetzee , 14. Lionel Mapoe , 13. Harold Vorster , 12. Alwyn Hollenbach , 11. Ruan Combrinck , 10. Elton Jantjies , 9. Faf de Klerk , 8. Warren Whiteley (c) , 7. Robert Kruger , 6. Jaco Kriel , 5. Franco Mostert , 4. Martin Muller , 3. Julian Redelinghuys , 2. Robbie Coetzee , 1. Schalk van der Merwe

Replacements : 16. Armand van der Merwe , 17. Jacques van Rooyen , 18. Ruan Dreyer , 19. MB Lusaseni , 20. Warwick Tecklenburg , 21. Ross Cronje , 22. Jaco van der Walt , 23. Howard Mnisi

Brumbies

1. Allan Alaalatoa , 2. Stephen Moore (c) , 3. Ben Alexander , 4. Rory Arnold , 5. Sam Carter , 6. Scott Fardy , 7. David Pocock , 8. Ita Vaea , 9. Nic White , 10. Christian Lealiifano , 11. Joe Tomane , 12. Matt Toomua , 13. Tevita Kuridrani , 14. Henry Speight , 15. Jesse Mogg

Replacements : 16. Josh Mann-Rea , 17. JP Smith , 18. Ruan Smith , 19. Jordan Smiler , 20. Jarrad Butler , 21. Michael Dowsett , 22. James Dargaville , 23. Robbie Coleman , 23. Nigel Ah Wong