The Brumbies have one foot in the Brisbane Global Rugby Tens semi-finals after finishing up as day one’s best-performed Australian side.
One of just two teams forced to play all three of their pool matches on Saturday, the Brumbies toughed through scorching conditions at Suncorp Stadium to notch a 10-0 win over French glamour club Toulon and a rousing 7-5 late comeback over South Africa’s Blue Bulls.
It means they can put their feet up until knockout play begins as the rest of the competition deals with an even hotter 39 degree day on Sunday.
“We’d imagine that we’ll qualify,” coach Stephen Larkham said.
“We’ve got the morning off to freshen up.
“Three games on the first day is very difficult to manage the load of the players, but if you look back on it now, it’s probably put us in a better position for tomorrow. That’s kind of what we set out to do.”
The only way the Brumbies can miss out on the finals is if the Bulls produce an unlikely upset over the undefeated Highlanders, the other team in their group.
Larkham was slated to pull on the boots as a wildcard player but was a late withdrawal after injuring his calf in the warm-up against the Blues – making him the second wildcard sidelined after Chris Latham’s Queensland Reds comeback was halted by a hamstring strain.
However, the Brumbies had another wildcard up their sleeve in former dual international Andrew Walker, who retired nearly a decade ago but didn’t look out of place.
The rest of the Australian franchises largely had a day to forget.
The NSW Waratahs lost 15-5 to Japanese surprise packets Panasonic Wild Knights and fell 26-14 to the Chiefs.
The Melbourne Rebels opened with an impressive 19-5 win over the Chiefs but slumped to a 17-12 defeat to the Robbie Deans-coached Wild Knights.
There were plenty of good signs for hosts Queensland in an exciting 17-17 draw with the Blues, but coach Nick Stiles fielded an inexperienced side against the Crusaders, and got thrashed 28-0, as Digby Ioane marked his return to Suncorp Stadium with a stunning try.
The Western Force, like the Brumbies, had to play three times – and though they were beaten by the Bulls and the Hurricanes, they remain alive in the tournament after winning 7-5 against Toulon in the last match of the day.
No official crowd was given but organisers Duco Events said more than 29,000 tickets were sold for Saturday.
Hoges5
Roar Rookie
At last someone actually watched the game instead of believing this article! Agreed the Rebels looked very good and by any other measure you would have to say the Reds and Force were the other "best Australian" teams....as they made the quarter finals. This is tournament play, so you have to be judged on results not reputations, etc.
Bakkies
Guest
No I wouldn't bother with anyhow
Akari
Guest
Leave your beer goggles on, Boz. Apart from one or two, they all looked young.
Ants32
Roar Rookie
They all look young these days, Boz. :/
Onside
Guest
Hey Jibba Jabba, there's a difference between built in prejudices and built in observations. We live in a multicultural society , and in years to come I might be thankful for some tall rangy Aussie girls whose parents came from Somalia. That aside if I offended you I apologise.
ScottD
Guest
However the worst fears have come to pass which is that a number of key players for Australian franchises have lost players through injury. Force lost Matt Hodgson and Curtis Rona. Looks like both had hamstring injuries which will mean at least 2 weeks maybe up to 6 weeks out of the SR competition. I understand other franchises have also lost players?
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
Ignoring the predisposed persons with built in prejudices i would like to say thanks to those sportswomen from NSW & Queensland prepared to go out in the heat of the day and put on a very good competitive game and spectacle. Have sure noticed the improvement of passing skills in the women's game over the last couple of years; instead of the lollipop netball pass it is now sure and direct, great to see as the skill level, speed of the ball, attitude and strength improves across the field.
Rick Diznek
Guest
29k tickets sold lol I've got a nice shiny bridge to sell. If you want to look it joins the CBD and the north shore...
Onside
Guest
Thanks to those Aussie girls with Fijian or Islander heritage. At first glance I thought it was a Fijian representative team.
El Gamba
Roar Guru
Agree Boz, was there with the kids. Same great footy, great atmosphere and that women's game was excellent. Worth the price of admission with today to go!
Aidan Wilson
Roar Rookie
I actually the best Australian side of the day was the Rebels. They actually looked the goods and played with real intent. I found it strange that the gameplan now seems to be more about going into contact and offloading than about using the overlap. On numerous occasions during the day tries went begging due to the inside man not drawing and passing
soapit
Guest
so is digby gonna be eligible for the wallabies playing for the crusaders?
Dat Mavis
Roar Pro
10s has been around for eons
elwyn
Guest
don't know what you talking bout..tens rugby yesterday was entertaining and will get better.,.,the world is big enough for 3 rugby union codes to be successful.,.my highlight yesterday was samoa's 2nd half comeback to beat the blues..exciting stuff..
Boz the Younger
Guest
Ps, apparently the female game was seniors, not age grade. My bad, they looked young.
Boz the Younger
Guest
The other highlight was seeing Rory Arnold getting around the park, he looks like he has lost weight and is looking incredibly fit and mobile for such a big player. I don't think we have nearly seen the best from him yet.
Boz the Younger
Guest
Was there and had a great day, the footy and the atmosphere were excellent. Highlights included the Queensland/NSW age grade girls game, particularly the storming try by the two Queensland front rowers, and big Radieke Samo flattening a Crusaders with a huge rushing tackle. Unfortunately the old fella was the best of a pretty ordinary Qieensland effort, but seeing him again made attendance worth it. The only disappointment was that Larkham couldn't play, I was really looking forward to that but such is life. Back again tomorrow morning.
Steve
Guest
This competition is the worst attempt at creating a new form of an existing sport since a village two hours outside of Bumfaq, Mexico amended the rules to their traditional cockroach racing competitions to allow the insects to sip tequila before competing.