Pre-match, Brumbies coach Jake White predicted his side would stop Rebels big guns Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor from firing. True to his word, the Brumbies cruised home 37-6 in Canberra last night with hardly a peep from the talented twosome.
That took some doing, usually Beale and O’Connor find a way. But not last night, the performance door was shut tight.
This was an impressive display by the Brumbies, even though their intensity fell away in the second session.
They led 30-6 at the break, having already posted four tries and the handy bonus point. What was so outstanding was converting dominant stats into points.
Unlike the Waratahs the night before, where similar stats against the Force netted only 10 points, the Brumbies soldiered on building on their 63% possession rate, spending 61% in the Rebel half, and 5 minutes 18 seconds in the Rebel 22 compared to the Rebels 1 minute 45 late in the half, in reply.
The clincher, the Brumbies 56-18 domination of the rucks and mauls. They owned the ball.
If there is a worry for the Australian Conference leaders, is their inability to kick on when they’re in control. Scoring just seven points in the second half was a waste.
However, flanker Michael Hooper was a revelation. Why he’s been a benchman in the past is one of the few Jake White decisions this season that hasn’t made any sense. Hooper is a David Pocock-type player, but not big enough to be a one-man destruction unit like the Force skipper.
Hooker Stephen Moore was a standout with a dozen incisive runs, Scott Fardy, Sam Carter, and skipper Ben Mowen were busy and effective all night with a milestone for Fardy with his first two tries in Super Rugby – one in each half.
Out the back, the much-maligned Pat McCabe played all over O’Connor in their 12-jersey head-to-head, his opening try burst right through the O’Connor tackle from 10 metres out, while half-back Nic White doesn’t know how to turn in a bad game.
The Rebels were a rabble in the first half, a far cry from the dedication of last weeks win over the Auckland Blues. But to their credit they knuckled down in the second half and by game’s end had roughly evened the possession and ruck-maul counts. No mean feat.
But most of that hard work was ruined by poor handling, poor passes, and turnovers, resulting in a scoreless session.
Rebels skipper Gareth Delve summed it up best.
“I was very impressed with the Brumbies, they play solid and smart rugby. We have the team and the game plan to contest that, but we didn’t put it in place”.
Delve could have so easily have added – “If Beale and O’Connor don’t make the breaks, we’re stuffed”.
Well coached Jake White.
Bakkies
Guest
Yes, well it was his biog. After the 2007 RWC
Damo
Guest
Well everyone is learning a lot. Has Jake White written a coaching book?
sittingbison
Guest
"he would have been a star" was the problem for him AND the Force, and now the Rebels are finding the same. Finally the Force are starting to develop team play, after Gits then Judas were one man bands in the centre. Force aren't there yet by any means, and not comparable individually, but they are moving in the right direction.
RebelRanger
Guest
Please elaborate how the Rebels have benefited having JOC?
Sprigs
Guest
Any team with JOC in it, is very fortunate.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Jake White has done a heck of a job turning around the Brumbies. They were an absolute rabble last year and now he has them well in the mix to win the Aussie conference. Wether they have enough in the tank at the end of the season in regards to depth and experience is another matter. It's a young team following the Coaches lead and it's paying off.
Sprigs
Guest
Mark Ella's book Running Rugby is the Bible.
RebelRanger
Guest
and we'd be MUCH better without his contract enabling us to buy better forwards. Rebels front office made a bad decision.
Lurchn
Guest
Hansie you are spot on JOC "brand" has taken a massive hit. He would of been a star behind the Forces pack this season and the force well may have been close to leading the conference if he was the glue in their back line. He either mad a bad decision or was fed bad advice by moving to the rebels -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Happy Hooker
Guest
O'Connor and Beale didn't look remotely interested.
RebelRanger
Guest
I was hoping for another fullback/ wing of the Cory Jane/Nanai-Williams mould. Speight is only a slightly better version of Vuna and makes it easier for opposition to target as they generally do not kick back (or not kick far). Neither Vuna nor Speight have great tackle-beating ability that would balance out not having a kicking game (like Digby Ioane or Hosea Gear do). Front row depth is being tested. Centres are horrible although this is a Australia wide issue. Wings could be better and we have no 10 next year.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
'Any talk about Cipriani playing for England is a joke because he isn’t of international standard.' That's simply untrue. He's just an easy scapegoat.
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
peterlala Cipriani was in no way a problem: the Rebels pack was very bad and he had little opportunity to get his backline going. Blame the pack, not a convenient scapegoat.
bluerose
Guest
maybe the Rebels should recruit the younger Faingaa brother, with the way Hooper is playing i dont think Faingaa has a real chance to play
mattamkII
Guest
Bush. Alexanders problem is the brumies dont actually want to play him at TH. And they havent played him there much for the last few years unless injury of Palmer and Co meant they had to. Remember back 3 or 4 years when the Aussie front row of Robo, Moore and Alexander were matching if not beating anything the word had to offer....then 12 months later they were getting pushed around again? This happened because the brumbies, as mentioned above, only play him there when they have to. They are two very different positions.
Rugby Diehard
Guest
I'd add Tapuai to your list too ML
Markus
Guest
Is that true? I remember hearing about it initially about a month ago, but nothing else really since then. That would be a big signing. Speight has really stepped up his game this year, and despite not featuring in the tryscorers list, has consistently been one of the Brumbies best. Agree on the poor signings by the Rebels, though. A lack of any genuine wingers has been a big issue for them this year, and the less said about their front row the better. Will be interesting to see if Jono Owen gets a run for them this season.
Markus
Guest
Alexander on the bench was purely a rotation decision. The guy has played nearly every minute of every game (Brumbies and Wallabies) for the last 2 years, a break was due. No longer the Wallaby tight-head maybe, but he is not going anywhere soon. On form he definitely deserves the loosehead spot over Robinson or Daley.
Markus
Guest
By all accounts Hooper is the fastest forward in the team, and I think overall the fittest player too. I checked out the highlights of his work at the U20s tournament last year, the stand out moment (of many) was when he chased down a French centre over 80m to save a guaranteed try.
Justin
Guest
Yes two tougher opponents were Chiefs and Highlanders. Narrow win narrow loss. They may not be top of the tree but they are a good side. As for the Rebels as jag says they are 20 games or so old. They badly need some key position players, front row in particular.