The Brumbies thrashed the Reds to the tune of 24 points on Saturday night.
Final score
Brumbies 45
Reds 21
The ACT Brumbies look to ignite their stumbling season against the Queensland Reds in a mouth-watering all-Aussie clash in Round 8 of this year’s Super Rugby. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:45pm AEST.
We’re almost halfway through the season already and it’s getting to that point where teams need to have found their stride and be playing consistently well to put themselves in contention for the finals.
For both sides this game is a very important one. For the Reds it represents the chance to get back to back wins over the Brumbies for the first time in forever, the chance to show that under Brad Thorn this new Reds approach is genuinely working and that early season success was not just a flash in the pan.
For the Brumbies this game is even more important – they’ve only won twice this season and are struggling for key combinations to fire. In the remaining games that they’ve got to play the top four Kiwi sides and the Lions in South Africa.
If they don’t start to turn things around now then the season is pretty close to over for them – a season where plenty of pundits were picking them to win the Australian Conference.
In an attempt to find some form the Brumbies have brought in some old talent and some new talent. Sam Carter is back from concussion and will bring leadership and talent to a pack that will be desperate to stamp their authority on a Reds pack that monstered them back in Round 3.
Brumbies fans will be hoping that Pocock and Carter will be able to start turning their packs into something that the opposition genuinely fear.
Banks returns at full back after being dropped recently and Matt Lucas gets a chance to make not only his debut but to make history in his first minute of Super Rugby as he will play against his brother in the same position for the Reds.
Unfortunately they will be missing Speight. The winger was due to play his 100th game this weekend but picked up an injury in training.
For the Reds they will have their back bolstered by returning skipper Higginbotham who will be eager to get his season back on track after his red card and sanctions earlier in the season.
In the centres the Reds will go for power with Kerevi matching up with Feauai-Sautia and the Brumbies midfield should get ready for an afternoon of crash balls coming at them time after time.
Prediction
Both sides have a lot at stake here and it promises to be a fantastic match up. While the Reds did lose their last game they’ll have more confidence coming into this game than the home side. The Brumbies have a good team on paper but as the great Brian Clough commented, the game is played on grass. It’s going to be close. Very close.
Reds to win by 3 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:45pm AEST.
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Baz
Guest
Shouldn't read too much into this game. But... Brums at home are always competitive. Reds looked to have them covered with silly mistakes by Brumbies in the first 15 minutes conceding too much possession to the Reds. Lucas looked nervous at 9 and IMO should not start ahead of Powell ever. Hawera was ordinary and needs to do more in general play to keep his spot. I thought Enever lacks venom in his tackling and will be on the bench next week with Carter back in the starting line up. Poey was huge and inspirational. A bit disappointing last week but was back to his best form this week. CL was solid as always but the 10 12 combination with Hawera is not working. From a Reds perspective I was not expecting a Brad Thorn coached team to cave as they did. Don't expect that he would be happy with the size of the loss against an out of form Brumbies side.
Ballymore Brumby
Roar Pro
Worst officiating I’ve seen in a long time in any super rugby match. Seems the ref doesn’t understand the rules since he doesn’t seem to know how to enforce them. Or the idea of what it means to take the ball into touch, which seemed to be optionally recognised last night. The Reds were denied at least one legitimate try, along with possibly an other due to a absolute howlers by the ref. Plus a dubious yellow card for that supposed knock on. Yet Pocock knocks it down and O’Keeffe doesn’t bat an eye.
Harry Jones
Expert
Congrats DANI-E and Greig L!!!!!!
riddler
Guest
congrats fionn and your brumbies... missed the game unfortunately.. followed the blog here... watch out chook, cp and the tahs!! this loss was all part of our cunning plan to lull those flower wearing southerners into a false sense of security!!
Fionn
Guest
It was fine. I congratulated the Tahs, but after that I had nothing positive to say about the Brumbies, so why say anything at all?
Daveski
Guest
You're a bit more vocal than last week Fionn. How was hibernation after the Tahs smashed you ?
Malo
Guest
They are gone they play nz teams now
Ruckin Oaf
Guest
At least Souths won today :)
Fionn
Guest
I think this showed us who should be the starting halfback. Powell is much better in defence, runs more and can kick. Question is, did Carter at lock, Cusack at 6, Powell at 9, Lealiifano at 10 and Godwin at 12 make the team play so much better and cause Reds to collapse in the second half, or did Reds just collapse and make them look better?
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Match Report The ACT Brumbies have beaten the Queensland Reds 45-21 in a game that could come to be regarded as the turning point in both these teams’ seasons. After 22 minutes the Reds were up 15-0 having scored two tries and slotted a penalty. They had huge amounts of possession and were camped out in the Brumbies half. They were playing simple, controlled but effective rugby that the Brumbies were weirdly struggling to cope with. The home side were slipping off tackles and when they did get a chance to have the ball they were making errors and giving it right back to the Reds. The Brumbies seemed to realise what was at stake and in the next 20 minutes slowly fought their way back into the game. They cut out the errors and when they finally got some ball they started to be effective. Naisarani started to cause some real trouble for the Reds with strong running and it wasn’t long before the Brumbies were on the board. Two tries in the last 13 minutes of the half had them back in touch with the Reds but still down 12-18. Events either side of half time are always important and this match was no different - the Reds suffered a bigger loss than conceding another score as Feauai-Sautia was sent to the bin for 10 minutes. He’d been a real problem for the Brumbies in the first half with his hard running and his absence was costy. The second half was a totally different game. The Brumbies took full advantage of the sin binning and scored twice in the 10 minutes to take the lead. Having taken the lead the Brumbies then really put their boot down on the Reds throat and put the game beyond doubt. Three more tries for team heroes Carter, Naisarani and Pocock might have won the game but it was a decision by the ref in the 57th minute that broke the Reds’ hearts. They were attacking inside the Brumbies 22 and when Kerevi picked up a loose ball from an attempted off load he was in under the posts for a key score. But the ref felt that the loose ball was a knock on when replays clearly showed the real cause was another great covering tackle from Pocock. This was a key error by the ref and it’s a shame that the Reds were denied this score. The battle in the forwards was always going to be interesting. In this clash back in round 3 the Reds pack drew a lot of compliments from the way it got over the top of the arguably stronger Brumbies forwards. In the early exchanges the Reds kept up the punishment and looked like they might dominate again. But over the course of the match this initial advantage disappeared and the Reds’ hopes of using this dominance as a match winning foundation were gone. Sadly there wasn’t a plan B. This win was important for the Brumbies. How important will be known next week when they go to play the Highlanders - if they can keep this form going and pick up more points away against a top Kiwi side then the ponies from ACT are back in the hunt. The Reds meanwhile have a tough couple of games ahead - Tahs at the SCG and then the visiting Chiefs in Brisbane. These could easily be two losses which would be four in a row for the Queenslanders and would really break their season.
Fionn
Guest
Agree, Speight should be nowhere near the team at the moment. Dargaville is a good 'rugby player' with an excellent attitude and is capable of some bone crunching defence. Peni, I'm not sold out. Great in attack but goodness he makes some errors. Verity-Amm will surely start pushing for a wing spot.
Johnno
Guest
no one write the brumbies off, they still have plenty of home games left and are very strong at home mostly..
RobC
Roar Guru
Good game for around 30'+ BTs mistake was not to pull the injured off. The sting in their D and cleanouts died with that. The YC buried them. Smith brothers scrum is a worry Brums looked good today nonetheless. Let's see next week!
Disheartened
Guest
Reds are dead Another non season for Qld Something is rotten still at Ballymore?
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Well done Oliver, Great blogging. Someone hit the switch at the 20th minute of this game. The Reds hit the wall about the same time as the Brumbies fired up to another level. Confidence levels fell for Reds and rose for Brumbies and it was all over, Red Rover! The Reds got smashed in the 2nd half 33-3 and gave up 5 tries to zip. Next week its on for young and old at the SCG next Sat arvo when the mighty Tahs take on the Reds. Looking at the number of wounded from tonight, I suspect the Reds will be pushing uphill to field a team. Meanwhile the Brumbies take on the Highlanders in Nu Zullend. Dare I say that will give us more of an idea how good the Brumbies are.
Bakkies
Guest
Paul Wiilliams, Marius van der Westhuizen and Pascal Gaüzère are in charge of the tests.
The Crow Flies Backwards
Guest
It wasn't me Johnno
Oliver Matthews
Expert
Full Time 80' - The Brumbies have beaten the Reds 45-21 in an entertaining game in Canberra. After about 15 minutes fans could not have been blamed for thinking they were watching the end of the Brumbies season as the Reds reached a 15-0 lead and looked in complete control. But the Brumbies then started getting into the game. They fought back well in the next 30 minutes and were back in contact come half time with the score 18-12 to the visitors. A yellow card at the end of the first half was crucial though - two tries to the Brumbies in those 10 minutes and some rhythm saw them take control of the game and pull away. In the rest of the second half the Reds just couldn't get themselves back in the game. An unfortunate ref decision led to an important try being denied for the Reds and the Brumbies just continued to pull away and put the Reds to the sword. In the end it was a comfortable win for the Brumbies but they had to work very hard to earn the tries that came later in the game. Full Match Report To Come Brumbies: 45 Reds: 21
Johnno
Guest
yeah agreed
Luke S
Guest
Nope