Lee Grant
John Eales (66)
That was a wonderful win. It had flaws in it, and the Canes had more in their play, but who cares?
I thought the Brumbies were done and dusted when the Canes scored 3 tries in 22 minutes to go 9 points ahead, but they regrouped and 2 minutes later they started putting on 3 tries themselves - in 15 minutes.
What a turnaround.
There was some wonderful rugby played by the visitors in that time but the home team would have regretted how they played in the last 25 minutes at the beginning of which they were in front. They tried to play too much rugby in the wrong territory instead of kicking for the corners. Leaving 9 points on the park with missed goal kicks did not help either.
Given where they come from both teams were used to the conditions; so the Canes had no excuse to turn over the ball at the ruck or maul and in general play 19 times compared to 7 for the Brumbies.
I thought that scrummie TJP was the best for the Canes though his passing deteriorated just when the Canes needed accuracy. His zip-zip try was a thing of rugby beauty. Savea looked good also. The injury to Jane might have been influential in the result, but after their own player misadventure recently the Brumbies will be saying: cry me a river.
After some poor kicking and missing too many tackles the Brumbies kicking improved and they took all the right options when a chance was presented in the money moments of the game.
White settled down well after some poor box kicking early, and Hooper was the MOTM in my eyes. It's just as well he played so well for other parts of the game because he missed a couple of key tackles when TJP scored his try just after oranges. Hooper's position was too narrow and he should have been closer to Mowen to his right when TJP ran around his corner, and in an earlier phase he got palmed off by Savea.
The eye opener for me was 10. Zack Holmes. I have seen him play like that in club rugby but to do it at a higher level gave me me a real buzz.
That game will look very good on his CV and if keeps playing like that I don't think he will be 3rd string anywhere after his contract expires. In particular, the Force will be wanting him to come home to Perth.
.
I thought the Brumbies were done and dusted when the Canes scored 3 tries in 22 minutes to go 9 points ahead, but they regrouped and 2 minutes later they started putting on 3 tries themselves - in 15 minutes.
What a turnaround.
There was some wonderful rugby played by the visitors in that time but the home team would have regretted how they played in the last 25 minutes at the beginning of which they were in front. They tried to play too much rugby in the wrong territory instead of kicking for the corners. Leaving 9 points on the park with missed goal kicks did not help either.
Given where they come from both teams were used to the conditions; so the Canes had no excuse to turn over the ball at the ruck or maul and in general play 19 times compared to 7 for the Brumbies.
I thought that scrummie TJP was the best for the Canes though his passing deteriorated just when the Canes needed accuracy. His zip-zip try was a thing of rugby beauty. Savea looked good also. The injury to Jane might have been influential in the result, but after their own player misadventure recently the Brumbies will be saying: cry me a river.
After some poor kicking and missing too many tackles the Brumbies kicking improved and they took all the right options when a chance was presented in the money moments of the game.
White settled down well after some poor box kicking early, and Hooper was the MOTM in my eyes. It's just as well he played so well for other parts of the game because he missed a couple of key tackles when TJP scored his try just after oranges. Hooper's position was too narrow and he should have been closer to Mowen to his right when TJP ran around his corner, and in an earlier phase he got palmed off by Savea.
The eye opener for me was 10. Zack Holmes. I have seen him play like that in club rugby but to do it at a higher level gave me me a real buzz.
That game will look very good on his CV and if keeps playing like that I don't think he will be 3rd string anywhere after his contract expires. In particular, the Force will be wanting him to come home to Perth.
.
