Brumbies in Trouble as Dominant Chiefs Pull Ahead in Super Rugby Pacific

The ACT Brumbies find themselves in an unusual predicament early in the season after succumbing to a 49-34 defeat against the table-topping Chiefs on Saturday.

In challenging conditions in Hamilton, the Brumbies managed to keep pace with the Chiefs, each scoring six tries; however, their kicking let them down.

The visitors converted just two out of six attempts at goal, while the Chiefs were much more accurate, converting eight of nine shots, including three penalties.

Chiefs players Anton Lienert-Brown and Gideon Wrampling each scored two tries, while Andy Muirhead crossed the line twice for the Brumbies.

Stephen Larkham’s team now stands at 1-2 after three rounds, matching their total losses for last year’s regular season where they finished with a 12-2 record.

The Brumbies were in contention at half-time with the scores level at 15-15 and again at 62 minutes when it was 29-29.

However, they struggled to respond effectively after Muirhead’s second try, leading to a crucial score from substitute Wrampling.

“We aimed for an improved showing compared to last week, particularly in the less obvious areas,” noted Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa.

“And while I believed we achieved that for the most part, we fell short in our execution at our end, particularly with our kick-off reception.”

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“I’m really proud, and it’s fantastic to see how much the lads enjoy playing for the Brumbies and giving it their all.

“There were plenty of tired boys at the end, which showed that we left everything out on the pitch. However, we need to be sharper in our execution.”

The Brumbies will remain in New Zealand as they prepare for a showdown against the defending champions, the Blues, in Auckland this Friday.

“This is a great opportunity for our team dynamics, particularly at this stage of the season,” Alaalatoa commented.

“We don’t often get the chance to bond during back-to-back away games, so it’s important to make the most of this time together and enjoy one another’s company.”

The unbeaten Chiefs, now at 3-0, will travel to Fiji for a match against the winless Drua in Lautoka next Saturday, with added support from the return of outside back Shaun Stevenson from Japan.

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)