The Blues have won four of their last five Super Rugby matches against the Brumbies (L1).
The Brumbies won their most recent Super Rugby home match against the Blues (26-21, 4 May 2019); they will be aiming for back-to-back wins against the Blues at home for just the second time in the history (February 2004).
- The Blues (1st) and Brumbies (3rd) both sit in the home playoff places on the Super Rugby Pacific table.
- The Brumbies will be out to avoid back-to-back home losses in Super Rugby for the first time since May 2018 after succumbing to an 11-point loss to the Crusaders in their last home game.
- The Australians have won three of their four games against New Zealand teams in 2022; the last time they won more games against Kiwi teams in a campaign was in 2004 when they won four of their five regular-season games against them – The ACT side also logged two more wins in the post-season.
- The Blues have won 18 of their last 19 Super Rugby games including their last 11 on the bounce
- A 12th consecutive win would equal the Auckland side’s longest-ever winning streak in the competition back in 1997.
- The Blues have won their last nine games against Australian teams – they have scored 124 points across their last two fixtures.
- Leon MacDonald’s last defeat to an Australian outfit came in Round 17, 2019 against the Queensland Reds.
- The Brumbies (32) and Blues (32) have scored more tries starting possession from a lineout, more than any other team.
Players to watch
- Nick Frost has made six lineout steals, the second-most by any player in the competition (Izack Rodda – 9 for Western Force).
- Rieko Ioane has made four offloads resulting in a line-break, the second-most by any player in the competition (Jordie Barrett – 5 for Hurricanes).
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEP! We are underway in this table-topping clash in Canberra.
3.00: The Brumbies begin well, moving into the opposition’s 22 with a 10-phase attack before Tom Wright is tackled into touch.
4.00: Darcy Swain steals a lineout to set up another good opportunity. The ball is recycled quickly before Pistol Pete Samu darts over to open the scoring. 5-0
4.00: CONVERSION! Noah Lolesio converts. 7-0
7.00: The Brumbies manage to repel a decent Blues’ opportunity to claim a goal-line dropout.
9.00: Stephen Perofeta drops the ball to award the Aussies a centrefield scrum.
11.00: The Blues get pinged for collapsing, but they steal a lineout back after the Brumbies fumble.
13.00: Caleb Clarke is taken high by Wright and Neville. Gotta love Sonny Bill Williams doing the sideline reporting in Canberra, as well.
15.00: Andy Muirhead drops a high ball for a Blues scrum inside the Brumbies’ half.
17.00: PENALTY! Stephen Perofeta raises his bat as he becomes the first player to 100 points this season. 7-3
20.00: Dalton Papalii and Mark Telea both go close before Telea is held up for a goal-line dropout. Nic White kicked the ball directly into touch for a Blues’ attacking scrum.
22.00: Both scrum-halves have a little scuffle after the Brumbies won the scrum free-kick to relieve the pressure.
24.00: The Blues flood the breakdown after Muirhead got isolated.
25.00: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is held up over the line by three opponents as the visitors waisted another chance.
26.00: Another kickable penalty for the Blues, who decide to kick to the corner.
27.00: The Brumbies defended the initial maul before collapsing the set piece. It is a harsh call by the ref because the Blues had broken off.
28.00: NO TRY! After several pick-and-drives, Kurt Eklund crashes over for a try, but the TMO rules it off for a knock-on. Hoskins Sotutu also dragged Nic White away from defending the attack. 7-3
28.00: YELLOW CARD! Folau Fainga’a is off for a no-arms tackle. 7-3
30.00: The Blues opted for a scrum, but it needs to be reset.
31.00: Another penalty goes against the Brumbies; White, this time, is offside.
32.00: Barrett boots to the corner this time; however, the home team wins a tunover to clear the danger.
33.00: That was big defence by Dan McKellar’s men, who were camped on their line for more than seven minutes.
35.00: Christie’s quick tap penalty sets up another period of sustained pressure inside the opposition’s 22. Bryce Heem chased Barrett’s grubber, but Lolesio got back to save the day.
37.00: YELLOW CARD! Swain is off for repeated infringments in the red zone. Blues take another scrum. 7-3
38.00: Telea is tackled into touch, but another penalty goes against the home side. Fainga’a is back on.
40.00: another reset scrum.
41.00: TRY! Barrett ghosts through a big hole to put the Blues ahead. 7-8
42.00: MISS! Perofeta can’t convert. 7-8
The halftime score was Brumbies 7 Blues 8
41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway down under.
43.00: A couple of reset scrums on the Blues’ 5m line.
45.00: The Brumbies are back to a full quota of players; they only conceded five points with two yellow cards.
46.00: A 13-phase attack ends with a knock-on inside the Blues’ 22 by the hosts.
49.00: The Blues are kicking for territory as they look to camp inside the opposition’s half again. McKellar’s men are still making a lot of tackles, which will be fatal in the last 20.
51.00: James Tucker is held up under the posts, but Christie lost possession in the lead up.
53.00: White picks up a loose ball and races away down the field to the Blues’ 22. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck catches the scrumhalf with a high tackle to give the Brumbies an attacking lineout. Caleb Clarke pulled his hamstring during the chase.
54.00: Repeated infringements inside the 22 by the Blues leads to another attacking lineout.
54.00: TRY! Fainga’a breaks off the marauding rolling maul and dives over for his 33rd Super Rugby try.
56.00: MISS! Lolesio misses an easyish kick. 12-8
59.00: MISS! Perofeta pulls his goal wide. 12-8
61.00: Another turnover inside their 22 sees the Brumbies clear the danger.
64.00: It’s all Blues again as they search for a go-ahead try.
66.00: Another series of penalties sees the Blues kick to the corner.
67.00: TRY! Karl Tu’inukuafe crashes over to put the Blues ahead. 12-13
68.00: CONVERSION! It’s good. 12-15
71.00: The Brumbies are beginning to tire as the Blues march towards the 22. The Kiwis have no run for more than 1,000 metres, which is rarely achieved at the professional level.
73.00: James Slipper infringes, Perofeta calls for the tee.
75.00: PENALTY! The kick is good. 12-18
77.00: TRY! Billy Pollard crashes over after a driving maul. 17-18
78.00: CONVERSION! Lolesio converts. 19-18
81.00: DROP GOAL! Barrett wins the game with a last-gasp drop kick after the Brumbies lost possession on the halfway. WOW, that is insane!
FULL TIME
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The final score is Brumbies 19 (7) Blues 21 (8)
Scorers
Brumbies
Tries – Samu, Fainga’a, Pollard
Pen –
Con – Lolesio (2)
Drop –
Cards – Fainga’a (Yellow, 28′), Swain (Yellow, 37′)
Blues
Tries – B. Barrett, Tu’inukuafe
Pen – Perofeta (2)
Con – Perofeta
Drop – B. Barrett
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Damon Murphy
Assistant Ref 1: Angus Gardner
Assistant Ref 2: Jordan Way
TMO: James Leckie
Teams
Brumbies: 15 Tom Banks, 14 Tom Wright, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Andy Muirhead, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Nic White, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Luke Reimer, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Darcy Swain, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 James Slipper, 18 Sefo Kautai, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Rory Scott, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Hudson Creighton, 23 Ollie Sapsford.
Blues: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Bryce Heem, 12 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii (captain), 6 Anton Segner, 5 Sam Darry, 4 James Tucker, 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Alex Hodgman.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Luke Romano, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Tanielu Tele’a, 23 Zarn Sullivan.
