A bonus point victory from their 33–20 win in Perth has secured the Brumbies a Super Rugby finals berth for 2015.

A hat-trick to David Pocock from the back of the Brumbies’ rolling maul ensured that Larkham’s men had control of the match against the Force. They racked up five tries in just over an hour before two late tries to the home side made the score a little more respectable for the Force.

Pocock scoring his third try

The Brumbies showed superior teamwork on attack and were better drilled in defence. It wasn’t quite a performance for the ages but the result puts them back on top of the Australian conference with one round to go – unless the Waratahs can also conjure a bonus point win tomorrow in South Africa. More crucially, perhaps, the Brumbies’ eleven point buffer over the Crusaders means that the worst position they can now finish is sixth.

The Force, by contrast, remain stuck to the bottom of the ladder and are unfortunately almost certain to be awarded the wooden spoon.

First half

After a moment of silence was observed for Jerry and Alana Collins, the pattern of the match was quickly established. The rare attacking forays by the Force were short-lived as an error or penalty always arrived in time to give the ball back to the Brumbies with no real harm done. On the other hand, the Brumbies built a mountain of possession and made it work for them.

Ita Vaea, the No. 8 for the Brumbies, proved hard to handle and made several tackle-busting runs. Joe Tomane was in top form on the wing in the opening stages, stepping and gliding his way past his opposite Luke Morahan at one point like he wasn’t even there. To his credit, Morahan did manage to win a race for the ball shortly afterwards to deny Tomane a try, but it was the Brumbies doing the attacking and the Force on the defensive.

The Brumbies then began to use their rolling maul from just about every lineout. This was a profitable tactic too, with each play seemingly gaining ten metres or more at will. It was like Kryptonite to the Force pack and they had no real answer to it, repeatedly being penalised for illegally bringing it down.

Smiler and Coleman are wrapped in a rolling maul

Stephen Moore had his captain’s eye on the bonus point from the start, and he turned down several opportunities for three points to go for the five. A few rumbles later it proved to be the right call, with Pocock scoring the Brumbies’ first try at the 10 minute mark on the back of drive from a 5 metre lineout won by Scott Fardy.

Two penalty goals in quick succession to flyhalf Zack Holmes allowed the Force to peg it back to 6–7, but not for long. The Brumbies put the ball through the hands of their backline, sweeping right and then left, and making ground just as easily as their forwards had done. The ball popped up from scrumhalf Nic White to the silky hands of Moore, 22 metres out. Moore promptly tipped it on for flyhalf Christian Lealiifano to run in a try down the left side. It was lovely finishing and he converted his own score to make it 6–14 with 20 minutes gone.

Sam Wykes had a tough time for his last home match with the Force and he had to leave the field for a concussion test after copping a knock. He battled hard alongside Adam Coleman and Steve Mafi but the Force were shaded in the lineouts by Rory Arnold and Blake Enever, the young locks for the Brumbies. Pocock’s second try came from an attacking lineout taken by Enever that turned into another driving maul. After repeated penalties had been called against the Force for illegal maul defence, a yellow card seemed inevitable and referee Gus Gardner eventually delivered it to Mafi. The teams went into the sheds with the score at 6–21 to the Brumbies.

Enever and Wykes contest the lineout

Second half

The game meandered somewhat after the break. Force backrower Angus Cottrell had a solid game, although he was in the wars at times. It seemed like a boxer’s cut had opened up around his left eye at one stage as the trainer patched him up. Still, he got off lighter than Ben McCalman who was just about knocked out before the break in an accidental head clash with team mate Zack Holmes that cut short his night.

The Force finally managed to put on a better showing in the second half, stringing together some phases in possession and finding holes close to the ruck via backrowers Mafi, Cottrell and Matt Hodgson. But the Force didn’t perform their cleanouts at the breakdown particularly well and never looked like taking control of the game. They were also out-manoeuvered in the scrum without necessarily being out-muscled. The Brumbies were pushing over the mark nearly every time. It seemed to destablise the opposition pack and may have helped them on occasion when going for a second shove. Gardner eventually pinged the Brumbies a few times for pushing early but he didn’t call them all.

In the last quarter, after their reserve props Allan Alaalatoa and Ruan Smith had come on, the Brumbies finally got their fourth try to secure the all-important bonus point. Both of the new props were involved in it too. Smith hit it up around the corner after yet another lineout drive from the Brumbies, before the ball came to Alaalatoa who crashed over beneath the posts from a couple of metres out at the 60 minute mark.

Pocock claimed his third try six minutes later (surprise, surprise, from a rolling maul) to push the score out to 6–33. With the game well and truly over, the Force seemed to throw off their shackles in the last ten minutes to show something of their capabilities. Tighthead prop Tetera Faulkner was brought on from the bench and smuggled the ball over the line for a try amongst a pileup of players under the posts. Then Luke Morahan finished off a well executed set move to score down the left side. The ball was cleared by Ryan Louwrens, cutting out two players to find Holmes on his left. Holmes turned it back inside for Morahan on the burst to run it in from 25 metres. Final score: 20–33.

Holmes had his kicking boots on for this game

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The game changer

While it wasn’t a turning point as such, the Brumbies’ decision to kick for touch and back their rolling maul for the whole match is what defined the game.

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The GAGR MOTM

Stephen Moore – led the side well and was instrumental in barging the way clear in front of David Pocock for those rumbled tries. Plus that flick pass to set up Christian Lealiifano’s try.

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Wallaby Watch

Of the other names, Joe Tomane showed good form on the wing. His knee is a bit of a concern, as are the injuries to winger Henry Speight and number eight Ben McCalman.

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The details

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Force: 20

Tries: 2
Faulkner (72)
Morahan (75)

Conv: 2
Holmes (72, 76)

Pens: 2
Holmes (14, 16)

Cards:
Mafi (28) – YC
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Brumbies: 33

Tries: 5
Pocock (10, 28, 66)
Lealiifano (18)
Alaalatoa (60)

Conv: 4
Lealiifano (11, 20, 29, 61)

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Referee:: Angus Gardner