The Sunwolves have played the Brumbies five times in Super Rugby since 2016, and the Brumbies have won all five matches.
This weekend’s match takes place in Wollongong, Australia, due to the severe outbreak of Coronavirus in Japan.
- While the Brumbies have never lost to the Sunwolves in their five Super Rugby meetings with the Sunwolves, victories came by an average margin of 27 points.
- Dan McKeller’s men upset the Chiefs 14-26 in Hamilton in round 4, and they sit top of the Australian Conference with only one defeat.
- The Brumbies have won each of their last three away games in the Super Rugby regular season; it’s their best such winning-run since winning three in a row across 2015 and 2016.
- Naoya Okubo’s side is not enjoying their final season of Super Rugby, losing three of their four games to date, and are the second bottom on the overall standings ahead of the Bulls.
- The Sunwolves have conceded 60 points or more in each of their last two Super Rugby games; they are just the second team in Super Rugby history to do so (Highlanders in 1996-1997) and no team has conceded as many points in three consecutive games.
- Only eight of the Brumbies‘ 68 missed tackles (12%) have resulted in a clean break conceded, the lowest rate of any team this Super Rugby campaign.
- Thomas Banks (Brumbies) has scored three tries in his four games of this Super Rugby campaign.
- Banks crossed for one try in each of his four previous encounters with the Sunwolves.
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 at WIN Stadium, Wollongong, about three hours from Canberra.
It is very unusual to be playing Super Rugby on a Friday afternoon, but this game, originally scheduled to be played in Osaka, Japan, has been moved to Sydney because of the Coronavirus outbreak in Japan.
2.00: The Brumbies keep possession after regaining a kick off a Sunwolves player following a seven-phase attack.
3.00: The Australians are inside the Japanse 22; they’ve gone 18 phases and 55 metres before Scott Sio knocks-on.
5.00: Superb work at the ruck by Justin Downey, who wins his side a penalty, and a breather.
7.00: The Sunwolves, who are technically the home team, take the ball into the opposition’s half for the first time in the match, although, they lose possession inside the 22.
8.00: The Australians counter-attacked from their 22, going eight phases before winning a penalty.
10.00: TRY! Ryan Lonergan scores his first Super Rugby try in his first start at halfback. Toni Pulu’s break, after the Sunwolves, won the lineout but failed to find touch from the clearance, set-up the score after combining with Rob Valetini, who sent Lonergan away to score. 0-5
12.00: CONVERSION! Lonergan converts his five-pointer. 0-7
15.00: JJ Engelbrecht saves the day with a last-ditch ankle-tap on Pulu just outside the Sunwolves 22.
17.00: Sio collapses the reset scrum. Garth April clears the opposition’s half.
18.00: Jake Schatz conceded a penalty at the breakdown after Valetini’s good work.
19.00: TRY! Will Miller scores his sixth Super Rugby try. The Brumbies went to the midfield from the lineout, Murray Douglas carried before throwing a neat inside pass to Miller, who dives over under the posts. 0-12
20.00: CONVERSION: The kick is good. 0-14
22.00: The Sunwolves need some possession, they have only had 21 per cent so far, but the game is being played inside their half. The Brumbies have had 88% of the ball.
25.00: Another missed opportunity for the Japanese as they lose possession after a knock-on near the Aussie’s 22.
27.00: Three reset scrums lead to a free-kick to the Brumbies; they opt for another scrum.
29.00: Rudy Paige powers towards to Brumbies try-line, the Sunwolves recycle with speed before winning a penalty when Miller gets caught offside at the ruck. April kicks to the corner.
31.00: OH, DEAR! Ben Te’o should have scored, but the England international knocks-on with the try-line begging. He really should have scored. There is a water break while Tautalatasi Tasi gets looked at by the medics.
32.00: SO CLOSE! Keisuke Moriya, on for Tasi, puts in a well-weighted grubber for Engelbrecht, but the ball beats him to the touchline.
33.00: Moriya has moved to the outside centre, and Siosaia Fifita has gone to the left-wing.
35.00: Another penalty is booted to the corner; the Sunwolves need to get their driving maul going.
36.00: TRY! Efitusi Maafu flops over the whitewash for his maiden Super Rugby try after the driving maul. The forwards stayed patient, won the penalty-advantage after shifting the first shove before the hooker crashed over. 5-14
37.00: CONVERSION! April halves the deficit with the wide conversion. 7-14
38.00: Allan Alaalatoa gets a talking to from referee Federico Anselmi after the Brumbies give away five penalties on the trot and in quick succession. The last 10 minutes has seen the Sunwolves enjoy 80% possession and territory.
39.00: The Sunwolves lose their lineout, Samu got his hands to the ball, winning the ball.
40.00: One last attack for the Brumbies, they have the lineout on the far side. The windsock is blowing from right to left, indicating a southerly breeze. You can see the ocean over the green bank, which is filled with supporters.
41.00: TRY! Valetini scores seven seconds after the hooter sounds, diving over the corner after a sublime backline attack following Te’o’s midfield turnover. The ball went wide to Tom Banks, who played Tevita Kuridrani. Kuridrani threw a skip-pass to Valetini, who fended off a defender before racing down the sideline to score. 7-19
42.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 7-21
The halftime score was Sunwolves 7 Brumbies 21
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway along the Grand Pacific Drive. The Brumbies are the designated away team, playing in their change strip of orange with blue shoulder trims and shorts.
43.00: Dan McKeller’s team have started well. Samu almost scores in the corner, but Engelbrecht made the low tackle, a couple of metres out to save the day. However, the ‘visitors’ get a penalty that is booted to the corner.
45.00: The driving maul is sacked illegally, the ball gets recycled and sent wide to Pulu.
46.00: TRY! TMO says TRY. Pulu managed to get the ball down before sliding out into touch. It is an expert finish by the corner flag, under pressure by Engelbrecht. Somehow, Pulu grounded the ball under pressure by Te’o and Engelbrecht. 7-26
47.00: CONVERSION! Lonergan’s touchline conversion goes straight through the middle of the posts. 7-28
50.00: It’s all Brumbies at the beginning of the second stanza.
53.00: TRY! GAME OVER! Kuridrani takes Lonergan’s pass and crashes over for his 29th Super Rugby try. The score came from pressure after another 5m attacking lineout and driving maul. 7-33
55.00: CONVERSION! Lonergan cannot miss from next to the right-hand post. 7-35
56.00: TRY! WOW! Solomone Kata, after another TMO review, dots down in the corner. There was only a blade of grass in it before the winger scores. Tom Banks set-up the attack with a jinking run before Valetini’s no-look pass – and second assist – put Kata away. 7-40
57.00: MISS! Joe Powell is on for Lonergan, so Noah Lolesio takes over kicking duties; however, the stand-off misses from the sideline. 7-40
60.00: The Sunwolves cannot get their hands on the ball.
64.00: Brumbies win another penalty, they kick to the 22.
66.00: McKeller’s men win back the ball, and they go again from inside their half. The Aussies have had more than a third of the run metres (688m to 288m).
67.00: There is a break in play as substitutes start to flood the field. Lachlan Lonergan, brother of halfback Ryan, comes onto the field.
70.00: HELD UP! The Sunwolves will get another shot.
73.00: TRY! Michael Stolberg crashes over for his team’s second. 12-40
74.00: CONVERSION! Jumpei Ogura, taking over from April, makes no mistake. 14-40
77.00: Almost another try, but Lachlan Lonergan cannot dot score.
81.00: The Brumbies are looking for their seventh; the clock ticks down, and the Aussies are camped on the Japanese line. 14-45
82.00: CONVERSION! Reesjan Pasitoa makes no mistake, and the Brumbies run out seven tries to two winners.
It’s another bonus-point win for the men from Canberra, who sit top of the Australian Conference with their fourth win of the season.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Sunwolves 14 (7) Brumbies 47 (21)
Scorers
Sunwolves
Tries – Maafu, Stolberg
Pen –
Con – April, Ogura
Drop –
Cards –
Brumbies
Tries – R. Lonergan, Miller, Valetini, Pulu, Kuridrani, Kata, Powell
Pen –
Con – R. Lonergan (5), Pasitoa
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Federico Anselmi
Assistant Ref 1: Amy Perrett
Assistant Ref 2: Aaron Pook
TMO: Ian Smith
Teams
Sunwolves
Head Coach: Naoya Okubo
15 Yoshizumi Takeda, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 Siosaia Fifita (co-captain), 12 Ben Te’o, 11 Tautalatasi Tasi, 10 Garth April, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jake Schatz (co-captain), 7 Shunsuke Nunomaki, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Michael Stolberg, 4 Kotaro Yatabe, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Efitusi Maafu, 1 Nic Mayhew.
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Jarred Adams, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Ben Hyne, 20 Tevita Tupou, 21 Naoto Saito, 22 Jumpei Ogura, 23 Keisuke Moriya.
Brumbies
Head Coach: Dan McKellar
15 Tom Banks, 14 Solomone Kata, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Toni Pulu, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Will Miller, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Murray Douglas, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Connal McInerney, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 James Slipper, 18 Tom Ross, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Tom Cusack, 21 Joe Powell, 22 Reesjan Pasitoa, 23 Tom Wright.
