ANALYSIS: 'Efficiency and ruthlessness' - Race to the 22m to determine Australia's Super Rugby front-runners
The Queensland Reds and the ACT Brumbies will battle it out under the lights of Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night, and one team will…
The relief was palpable for Greg Somerville when Danny Cipriani nailed the Melbourne Rebels’ match-winning penalty in their Super Rugby round two clash with the Brumbies.
But the delight of the surprise 25-24 victory for Somerville, a six-time Super Rugby title winner with the Crusaders, was tempered by the scenes of devastation back in Christchurch after last Tuesday’s earthquake.
The minutes silence before Friday night’s Brumbies match in Melbourne was particularly poignant for Somerville and another former Crusader and Canterbury representative-turned-Rebel, lock Kevin O’Neill.
The duo had been engrossed in the coverage of the massive earthquake and although family, friends and former teammates were all safe, a win on the field was only scant consolation as the distressing images dominated news bulletins in Australia.
“It’s pretty harrowing to watch what’s happened to a city you love. You have a special bond with Cantabrians with the support they’ve given us,” Somerville said.
Although not yet privy to the missing person’s list, Somerville believed his friends had escaped the carnage which claimed the life of Crusaders board member, accountant Philip McDonald.
“You feel for what they’re going through,” he said.
“There’s still a lot of friends and people you know of back there through rugby and life.”
Somerville’s wife had a couple of aunts in the city whose houses are “a bit stuffed up” while O’Neill’s family members in Christchurch have relocated to a farm on the outskirts.
He also co-owns a bar inside the cordoned off four avenues area with Crusaders and All Blacks hooker Corey Flynn.
Damage was extensive where the tavern is located on Fitzgerald Ave.
Meanwhile, Somerville was predictably pleased with the Rebels victory over the two-time champion Brumbies – after the Rebels were blanked 43-0 by the Waratahs in their Super Rugby debut last weekend.
“It’s good to get that bogey off our backs now,” the 66-test frontrower said.
“A lot of people thought we’d go through the season without winning so we’ve dealt with that issue now.”
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