No matter how bad things appear at the Brumbies, they are in fact worse. With the 13-6 loss to the Lions in Canberra, this campaign is not going to recover.
Not when the Australian side has no idea what to do with the ball.
Despite enjoying the lions’ share of territory and possession, particularly in the first half, they conceded 17 turnovers against the visitors which did not even play to their full potential.
Repeated scrums and penalties were an eyesore and thwarted the fluidity and rhythm for the entire match.
The Lions were relentlessly awful. It’s hard to believe the Johannesburg outfit are riding high with a solitary loss so far in the competition. And they won in Canberra.
A try in the opening five minutes to Brumbies inside centre Kyle Godwin after multiple phases of play was ruled out by television match official Ian Smith.
The only consolation for the hosts was a 3-0 lead going to the sheds, courtesy of a penalty by first-five Wharenui Hawera.
Brumbies best scoring chance came in the 68th minute when halfback Joe Powell broke through the midfield before being brought down in a tackle.
From the ensuing ruck, openside flanker Jarrad Butler received a pass and was metres from the Lions’ try line but conceded a penalty for holding on to the ball in the ground.
Lions No 8 Warren Whiteley put in a man-of-the-match performance, hoeing in at the breakdown and tackled ball areas and was a constant thorn for the Brumbies attackers.
The only try of the night was scored by former South African 7s rep Kwagga Smith who cut open the Brumbies defence on the left flank before racing about 70 metres to score.
Brumbies’ skipper Sam Carter accurately summed up their performance – or a lack of it – post match when he said his team did not capitalise on their opportunities.
Their defeat has to be chalked up to a stunning lack of precision and accuracy and an attack game that has gone totally up the spout.
The last vestige of hope for 2017 is gone for the Brumbies.
Republican
Guest
......completely concur.
Republican
Guest
......same old, same old. Brumbies have not been a scoring outfit for years, despite a brief hiatus to their inherent form early in the season. They may well finish bottom of the Aussie conference when you consider the rot set in V a very mediocre Rebels team, some weeks back.......
Lara
Guest
Two sad things that are more than likely to happen, one the Lions finish top of the ladder without playing any NZ teams, but worse the Brumbies top the Oz conf and get home advantage against teams that will have twice as many points during the SR season. Both possibilities are not only distasteful, it makes Rugby downunder a laughing stock, no wonder my league friends just laugh at me .
Akari
Roar Rookie
Yet, as you predicted in your tips on Thursday, the Brumbies were a basket case (ie they won't win) and they played as such, Brett. No amount of grovelling is going to change the fact that you lost faith in the Bumblebees.
Akari
Roar Rookie
Perhaps, Hawera "was never developed in the finest rugby development environment", Kirky. He still "was developed in the best rugby development environment in the World". I think Hawera is a very skilled player and good enough at 10. I think part of his problem is that he appears to be playing like a puppet on a string, which is contrary to what he is used to in NZ. May be a stint in club rugby here might help him rediscover the gifts that he obviously used to have.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Rhys Bosley! ~ Hawera was never developed in the finest rugby development environment, he was never in any development squad in New Zealand, ~ He's a ring in from the deep South and the reason he's in the Brumbies side is because he couldn't get a Contract in New Zealand as he simply was never good enough, if he was showing any ability at all at home in New Zealand, he'd still be there! Difficult to say where the Brumbies got their information from regarding his signage, ~ but in saying that, no one player is playing well at the Brumbies or any other Franchise for that matter. The Western Force are the team playing the rugby out of Australia and they deserved their win last night against a niggly and very ordinary Jaguares team. Whoever wins the Aussie' Conference, considering the crap rugby they're all playing, will be considered as ''the best of a bad lot" ~ Unbelievable rubbish rugby!
taylorman
Roar Guru
That's what I thought but they've only lost one with a B side and by this time last year they'd already lost three, hammered twice by kiwi sides. Hard to say. As Baylion said Brumbies gave NZ sides just as tough a match as the Lions did.
Kirky
Roar Rookie
The Lions are but a shadow of the team that was last Season, I find it strange as they were up with the any of the Kiwi Teams last Season and after the overall South African results from this weekend, I would say the Kings are the ones to beat!
taylorman
Roar Guru
'Aren't'...kind of makes a difference there...
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes fair comment. Brumbies are scoring a lot of tries but do have a good defence. They should top the table given the tougher matches the Saders have left, they're bound to lose one of the Chiefs, Highlanders and Canes.
percy P
Roar Rookie
I agree, Baylion. After watching other Aussie teams getting creamed by various comers, I thought the Brums had a serious chance of winning right to a couple of minutes to go, so for mine it was riveting. The ball was slippery, & it was cold. Had the rugby gods been a nanometer more Brumby friendly they would've got up. To their great credit the Lions held on.
Aucklandlaurie
Guest
80 points? The Brumbies havent scored a try for nearly a month.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Conference where losing bonus points are enough to get you to the top :P
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Conference where losing bonus points are enough to get you to the top :P
moondoggie
Roar Rookie
Agree that the lions deserve credit for their defensive effort. The brumbies defended well too and were able to retain a lot of possession, but the impotence in attack is what is most disappointing. If this were a one off, i think the reaction would be less negative, but after talking up their attacking game against the reds, they have now put together 210 minutes without scoring a try.
moondoggie
Roar Rookie
Either the people making these decisions are clueless, and happy to give jobs the the boys, or a worse thought they actually are the best we have right now.
Craig
Guest
Yes, the Brumbies attack is way too predictable and overly-reliant on big runners bending set defences - increasingly clear that Steve Larkham was not ready to be head coach. In fairness however, the Brumbies were most unlucky not to be two tries up at the end of the first half and the Lions got an intercept try with the Brumbies hot on attack. That was the difference - not many teams have held the Lions to one try in the past two years.
Waxhead
Guest
It was a comfortable win for the Lions. Any away win is a great effort in this Super Comp.
Fionn
Guest
Wouldn't be unhappy with that result, Akari.
Fionn
Guest
Fair. Then put Jackson-Hope st 10 and Banks at 15.