4. Match of the Decade?
The Brumbies v. Tahs game was the best Aussie derby game I have seen in years. It was fast and physical, skilful and exciting. Both sides played with attacking intent, and ripped into each other at every opportunity. It was a big positive for Australian rugby, and I think it proved the premiership credentials of both teams. No player had a particularly bad game, with plenty of standouts from both the Tahs and Brumbies.
The Brumbies have started slowly, but have now found the form that took them so far last season. It is great to see. Their defensive is abrasive, and their skill at slowing opposition ball is second to none. Their kicking is long and accurate, their set piece is solid and they make very few mistakes. They very rarely left the Tahs 22 without points. Scott Fardy has found his late 2013 form, and is being matched by the usual cast of Brumbies stars- Matt Toomua in particular. They look like they could go one better than their 2013 results.
The Waratahs will be unhappy with the result, but I don’t think the defeat was as comprehensive as some have suggested. After all they entered the final five minutes only two points behind, with momentum on their side. They were inaccurate in a few key moments, and let themselves down with poor kicking, bungled scrums and scrappy lineouts. Losing narrowly to a hot Brumbies side in Canberra is no disgrace, and I hope this will show them what it takes to be true title contenders.
It is interesting to contrast this result with the same game last year, where the Brumbies shot out to an early lead and put the Tahs away easily. I think the recovery by the visitors last weekend is enough to suggest that they are much better placed this year, and have the self-belief needed to fight back from tough situations. But that may just be the wild Tahs optimist in me speaking!
Some of the blog comments after the game were mind-boggling though. A few people obviously harbour so much resentment towards the Waratahs (and some of their players), and were clearly just waiting for the first crack to appear before piling on. And I’m sure this article will be bombarded with said crazies justifying their hate, but I can’t help being a little saddened by it. I love all the Aussie teams (obviously I love the Tahs the most) and would never actively cheer for one to fail. But each to their own, I suppose.
