The Brumbies graduated from the school of Jake White by downing his tryless Sharks 16-9 on Saturday night at a slippery Canberra Stadium.
The Brumbies had plenty to prove after White walked out on them last year to join the Sharks halfway through his four-year contract.
And prove it they did, man of the match Sam Carter crossing for the only try and match winner in the 65th minute.
The niggly top-of-the-table clash went down exactly as expected, in wet conditions, by two sides recently tutored by the former World Cup-winning Springboks coach.
The defence was rigid, the hits big, the breakdown scrappy and the kicks plenty.
Three players went off in the first half for blood or concussion concerns – however only Wallabies winger Joe Tomane failed to return, a cheekbone injury putting him in doubt for the Brumbies’ South African tour.
Both teams were desperate to play in the other side’s half, the match featuring more than 90 open-play kicks.
Sharks flyhalf Francois Steyn’s radar was off, missing three first-half penalty goal attempts, failing to find touch from a penalty and kicking out on the full twice from restarts.
His open-play kicking was better, constantly finding the ground to the left of fullback Jesse Mogg, which cut off the angle of his big left boot.
However, the Brumbies dominated the kicking duel in the second half, Mogg finding his rhythm and winger Robbie Coleman chasing everything down.
Lealiifano opened the scoring with an early penalty goal, while Steyn pushed two early attempts out wide before nailing one in the 14th minute.
Lealiifano knocked over a second three-pointer and then missed a third attempt, giving the Brumbies a 6-3 lead at halftime.
Both sides traded a penalty goal apiece after the break, before the Brumbies began to press with their territory advantage.
The try-scoring drought finally broke in the 65th minute when halfback Nic White put Carter through a gap and under the posts to extend the lead to 16-6.
Steyn narrowed the gap to seven points with eight minutes to go to earn the Sharks a losing bonus point, but they fell short of finishing off the comeback.
The outcome wasn’t enough to knock the Sharks off top spot, although the Brumbies closed the gap to two points in third place.
Mark Richmond
Roar Guru
There were 11.6K of them at the game......
Internal Fixation
Guest
One right here
Maxt
Guest
Yes
Johnno
Guest
So are you saying Steve Larkham will never coach the Wallabies then benalong, as he was just as boring and didn't play the Wallaby way "running rugby" which is what Australia do better than any rugby side, we are the leaders and world famous for running rugby. Neither coach played "smart creative running rugby" as Bill Pulver says.
bennalong
Guest
Chris, That's bull! You're excusing an appalling game of rugby as if there were no alternatives. You think Jake White should be Wallaby coach because of last nights 'proof' of his methods? The two teams played IDENTICAL game plans! Larkham had to win but he used his old coaches methods, so White was ultimately successful. In fact, the game was lost by Francois Steynes rather than won by the Brums. How lucky were they, because if he'd been kicking well the Sharks, who had the best of positional play, would have capitalised for sure Jake White put his style of rugby on show last night. He'll never coach the Wallabies
Selector
Guest
Good news! Thanks Brett
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
And as long as there's enough fans who feel likewise, all's well. But is there?
Brett McKay
Expert
Speight will tour South Africa, and Rathbone is in line to be part of the extended squad..
Chris
Guest
The reason the Waratahs have never, and will never, win the comp is because they care more about the style (or brand as they would say) they play than actually winning games.
sixo_clock
Roar Guru
Totally. Makes a fan hope they both don't get to the grand final, what a showcase! TBF, it was raining and a wet pill squibs and contradicts like an eighth grader on his third can of Red Bull. Also, a lot of melodrama with the second coming of St Jake may have deflated them a little. One for the purists. 87 tactical kicks will give them wet dreams for the next fortnight. 87?? How did Jannie's shoulder escape a card,... again? Another reason to canonise their coach! JdP is a serial offender in that regard. Glenn Jackson does like them to sort it out themselves, ex-player, high level too, so probably got it right.
Sportym
Guest
Who cares about what pulver thinks, this match was not about marketing oz rugby, it was about payback for a coach dumping a team. Could not careless if the brumbies won by 1 point, they just needed to win. Don't turn this game into how oz should play rugby. This match was never ever about how.... It was about who!!!!
Sportym
Guest
For people who expected this or be an expansive and free flowing rugby rugby game featuring lots of tries are plain fooling themselves and have I idea about jake whites influence on the game. Stop whining about the way the game way played under the circumstances , it shows your lack of knowledge far far more than the influence of the coaches involved. Well done the brumbies!.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
Great point Harry. I wonder what Bill Pulver will be thinking this morning. Surely it can't be 'Yes!!!!! This is the formula for commercial success'. :(
HarryT
Guest
Woeful rugby. Every minute of this crap evaporated a million bucks from Pulver's next Foxtel negotiations. Top teams and top coaches? We are doomed.
Hopperdoggy
Guest
If there has been a more boring yawn fest in rugby in the last 10 years, I haven't seen it. Both teams were playing like they didn't want to lose. Still I suppose a win is a win.
Selector
Guest
Does anyone know how far Speight and the Bone are from a return? If not, McCabe* to the Wing and Cronje onto the bench. * Loving McCabe's form at the moment and he would be pushing for a starting spot regardless of injuries.