The Chiefs beat the Brumbies 40-19 in another lopsided Super Rugby Trans-Tasman game at FMG Stadium, Hamilton.
Luke Jacobson bagged a brace from the back of a dominant scrum as the Chiefs forwards dismantled the Brumbies pack.
Tupou Vaa’i, Damian McKenzie, Alex Nankivell, and Anton Lienert-Brown also crossed for the Waikato men as they notched a superb six-try bonus-point win against the ACT franchise.
McKenzie kicked five conversions for a haul of 10 points, and the playmaker was instrumental in his side’s win.
Len Ikitau, Bayley Kuenzle, and Rob Valetini dotted down for the Australian team.
The Chiefs scored three times in each half as they racked up another impressive win.
The Brumbies team has – along with the Queensland Reds – been one of the two outstanding teams in Super Rugby AU over the last two campaigns.
But Dan McKellar’s charges had no answer to the physicality of the Chiefs pack, or the cunning of the opposition’s backs.
McKenzie, Nankivell, and Lienert-Brown weaved their way through the porous Brumbies defence.
Vaa’i and Jacobson (twice) both scored as Clayton McMillan’s men opened up a deserved 19-5 lead at the interval
McKenzie, Nankevill, and Lienert-Brown added three more tries as McMillan’s men cruised to all five points on offer.
Ikitau scored in the first half, Kuenzle and Valetini after the break, but the Brumbies were never in this game.
Valetini’s last-play try brought some sort of respectability to the final scoreline.
Had the No 8 not dotted down at the death, the defeat would have been the heaviest in this fixture.
The win keeps the Chiefs in the hunt for the top two spots.
A second loss leaves the Brumbies winless from their two Trans-Tasman matches, and out of the running for a spot in the grand final.
Final Score: Chiefs 40 (19) Brumbies 19 (5)
Scorers
Chiefs
Tries – Vaa’i, Jacobson (2), McKenzie, Nankivell, Lienert-Brown
Pen –
Con – McKenzie (5)
Drop –
Cards –
Brumbies
Tries – Ikitau, Kuenzle, Valetini
Pen –
Con – Lolesio (2)
Drop –
Cards – Swain (Yellow, 65′)
Match Officials
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 1: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 2: Dan Waenga
TMO: Aaron Paterson
Teams
Chiefs
15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Bailyn Sullivan, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Jonah Lowe, 10 Damian McKenzie, 9 Brad Weber (captain), 8 Luke Jacobson, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 Atu Moli, 19 Zane Kapeli, 20 Pita Gus Sowakula, 21 Xavier Roe, 22 Rameka Poihipi, 23 Kaleb Trask
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Solomone Kata, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Tom Wright, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Henry Stowers 5 Nick Frost, 4 Darcy Swain, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 Scott Sio
Replacements: 16 Connal McInerney, 17 Harry Lloyd, 18 Tom Ross, 19 Tom Hooper, 20 Tom Cusack, 21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 22 Bayley Kuenzle, 23 Mack Hansen
