Tonight’s match will see the winner of the Brumbies and Western Force play the Queensland Reds in the 2021 Super Rugby AU final at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, next week.
The Brumbies are heavy favourites against a rejuvenated Force team, brimming with confidence after taking down the Melbourne Rebels in a winner takes all game, last weekend.
- Western Force has logged only two wins from their 11 previous away games against the Brumbies in Super Rugby (L9), the most recent of which came in Round 9, 2011 (27-19).
- The Brumbies have won 19 of their last 21 Super Rugby games on home turf (L2) and have lost only once at home in Super Rugby AU (W8); while Western Force has logged two away wins this season – the last time they won more on the road in a single campaign was in 2014 (W3).
- The Brumbies have won three of their four previous Super Rugby finals games against Australian opponents (L1), including a 28-23 win over the Queensland Reds in the 2020 Super Rugby AU Final.
- This will be the Force’s 192nd Super Rugby game and their first-ever finals fixture in the competition.
- The Brumbies have scored the opening try of the game in 10 of their last 11 Super Rugby games against Western Force; however, in their last two meetings, they have not scored a try until the 20th minute of the game at the earliest.
- The Brumbies have conceded just six clean breaks per game this Super Rugby AU season, the joint-fewest of any team (also Queensland Reds), while the Western Force’s six clean breaks made per game is the fewest of any team.
- Western Force has stolen 10 opposition lineouts this Super Rugby AU campaign, the most of any team in the competition and seven more than the Brumbies (3).
- Tom Wright has crossed for a try in each of his last three Super Rugby AU games and has scored one try in each of his two games against Western Force in the competition.
- Toni Pulu has beaten a competition-high five defenders per game this Super Rugby AU campaign; he has also beaten a total of eight defenders in his only two previous Super Rugby games against the Brumbies.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in Canberra, Australia.
3.00: The first scrum of the game goes to the Force after they disrupt the Brumbies’ lineout.
7.00: Big scrum by the Brumbies, who won the penalty after the opposition collapse the scrum. Tom Banks kicks to touch near the corner.
8.00: A powerful driving maul comes to nothing, but the pressure by the hosts leads to another penalty under the posts. Banks goes to the corner again. We all know what is going to happen here.
10.00: Superb defending of the maul by the Western Force, who make the Brumbies use the ball. The home team goes wide, but the passing is not great, which leads to a knock-on inside the 22.
12.00: The Force disrupts another attack, winning a turnover. Kyle Godwin got to the ruck and stole the ball from the isolated Pete Samu.
15.00: Tom Wright boots a massive kick, from next to the touchline, to relieve pressure. The Brumbies steal the lineout, before winning the penalty at the breakdown. Jeremy Thrush won the ball back for his team, but he went off his feet.
16.00: A big scrum by the Force to win the penalty. One all in the scrums.
18.00: Tomás Cubelli is forced into a mistake at the ruck, knocking on after good work by Irae Simone.
20.00: Another promising attack by the home team comes to nothing. Dam McKellar will not be too impressed with his team’s handling.
22.00: The visitors do well to force the Brumbies to kick away possession inside the opposition’s half. However, the hosts get the ball back.
23.00: A poor lineout by the Brumbies kills another chance to attack in a good field position.
25.00: The Western Force wins their second scrum penalty of the game; they are getting on top of their illustrious hosts.
26.00: Scrum to the Brumbies after another wayward lineout by the visitors.
28.00: Tomás Cubelli is offside at the ruck, the Brumbies should take the points, but they look like they will kick to the corner. The Force knock-on the lineout, gifting the hosts an attacking scrum.
30.00: The Force has managed to keep the Brumbies from scoring inside the opening half-hour, but they are not out of the woods.
31.00: Simone is pinged for not releasing after being tackled. Another chance goes begging.
33.00: Force wins a penalty inside the Brumbies’ 22. Domingo Miotti calls for the tee.
35.00: PENALTY! Miotti opens the scoring. 0-3
37.00: TRY! A kick-off mistake by the Force leads to Tom Wright scoring in the corner to put the defending champions on the board. 5-3
38.00: CONVERSION! Noah Lolesio slots the touchline conversion. 7-3
40.00: The Brumbies almost make the visitors pay for another mistake before the break. The Force regains the ball, and Cubelli clears. Brumbies have one more chance before the break.
41.00: RED CARD! Toni Pulu is off for a dangerous tackle on Simone, who dropped holding his face after taking a shoulder to the head. The crowd cheers. This is huge. Banks kicks to the corner.
42.00: TRY! Tom Banks finishes in the corner after some slick handling by the Brumbies. The Force defended the maul again, but could not stop the free-flowing attack. 12-3
44.00: MISS! Lolesio cannot make the shot. 12-3
The halftime score was Brumbies 12 Western Force 3
1.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in the Australian capital.
43.00: The second stanza begins the same way the first did, with a couple of reset scrums.
45.00: A big scrum by the visitors wins them a penalty.
46.00: PENALTY! Miotti doubles his tally from in front. 12-6
49.00: The medical staff, attending Pete Samu on the ground, are hit with a Folau Fainga’a grubber; you don’t see that every day.
50.00: Luke Reimer replaces Samu, who limps off.
53.00: The mistakes are mounting as both teams look to spread the ball wide.
54.00: NO TRY! Tom Wright at the double? The winger latched onto Simone’s deft grubber and dotted down under pressure by Miotti, who saved the day for his team. 12-6
57.00: Brumbies starting to find holes in the yellow wall.
59.00: The visitors are back to 15 men, they managed to keep the hosts to just five points, for a net gain of two, while Pulu was on the sideline.
61.00: PENALTY! Lolesio increases the lead to nine. 15-6
65.00: Lolesio loses the ball in contact, he’s made a few errors tonight. The mistake keeps the visitors in the game because another Brumbies’ try ends this game.
66.00: WOW! Another huge scrum by the Perth team to win a relieving penalty.
68.00: The Brumbies are reeling in Canberra; they have given away three penalties from three different phases of play, including back-to-back from the scrum and lineout.
69.00: PENALTY! Miotti adds another three. 15-9
71.00: More brave defending by the Force win them another turnover after a knock-on by the hosts.
73.00: PENALTY! Ryan Lonergan reopens the nine-point gap. 18-9
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The score after 74 minutes is Brumbies 18 (12) Western Force 9 (3)
Scorers
Brumbies
Tries – Wright, Banks
Pen – Lolesio, R. Lonergan
Con – Lolesio
Drop –
Cards –
Western Force
Tries –
Pen – Miotti (3)
Con –
Drop –
Cards – Pulu (Red, 41′)
Match Officials
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant Ref 1: Graham Cooper
Assistant Ref 2: Amy Perrett
TMO: James Leckie
Teams
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Tom Wright, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Nic White, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Darcy Swain, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Tom Ross, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Ryan Lonergan, 22 Reesjan Pasitoa, 23 Mack Hansen
Western Force
15 Jake Strachan, 14 Toni Pulu, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Kyle Godwin (captain), 11 Jordan Olowofela, 10 Domingo Miotti, 9 Tomás Cubelli, 8 Brynard Stander, 7 Kane Koteka, 6 Fergus Lee-Warner, 5 Sitaleki Timani, 4 Jeremy Thrush, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Feleti Kaitu’u, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Andrew Ready, 17 Angus Wagner, 18 Greg Holmes, 19 Ryan McCauley, 20 Tim Anstee, 21 Ian Prior, 22 Henry Taefu, 23 Jack McGregor
