What a game and what a finish!!
The end was pretty tense! I caught the last 15 where the two tries came bam bam from the Highlanders, so I only got the scrappy end of the match Brumby-wise... Was the rest good?
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry
Didnt think they would get there in the end. A nice drop goal and counter ruck to put the nail in the coffin.
Best to be off to Subi.
Gotta love recording devices! That is tomorrow morning sorted.
the Brumbies had a poor start a great middle and a bad finish. Mortlock was instrumental in winning the game for them with some good hands and bustling tries.
what a game, mortlock is on fire.
got to love you guys... you've already started a post on this match Brumbies thread...
Well in brief Mudskippers game Synopsis
- A shaky start in the shaky isles…
- Brumbies let threw 3 line brakes which turned into 19 points gave the highlanders a good lead...
- Brumbies had executed plenty of creative plays which were initially poorly but then fired up…and put points on the board...
- Highlanders captain Jimmy Cowan was injured mid first half as was another All black forward, MacIntosh? I think...
- Brumbies dominated field position for most of the match but took time to score the points...
- There was a time when they looked like they could score at will but then lost momentum in the last 15 odd minutes…
- Regained after letting in 2 tries and put in a 78 minute drop goal to rap it up…
- In the end a 5 points bonus win to the Brumbies...
- And a bonus 2 point loss to the brave Highlanders...
- Centres Mortlock and Ashley Cooper worked well 2 tries to Mortlock and one to AC…
- A close one but a S14 Aussie win to get started for 2009…
Good luck to the Western Force tonight… I’ll be cheering for the boys… enjoy your rugby TWF fans…
Must admit was surprised looking at the updates given the 30-10 lead last time I checked. Good to see another Aussie team win (Tahs aside). Any away win is a good 'en. Highlanders may not be the best team but Carisbrook is tough to win at whoever you are. Nice one Brumbs.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
great win
BOKKE“Let me put it this way, A Springbok team contains Afrikaners, Englishmen, coloureds and blacks. It has parochial foes in Bulls, Sharks, Stormers, Cheetahs and Lions. It is a recipe for war! Yet in all the years of John Smit’s captaincy, there has never been one unhappy customer, not one voice of rebellion against his leadership. He is the glue that holds the Springboks together. The man is a legend!”- Jake White
So people who saw the game (seeing as I did not as it was at some crazy hour English time)...
- how did Stephen Moore go in his forst S14 game for the Brumbies?
- and how did Phibbs go, should he have been picked ahead of Holmes?
- and the back row of Salvi, Smith, Hoiles?
- lastly, Aussie Clyde in his comeback?
Adore this life
There is no guarantee
Could end by tomorrow
Fearless Mortlock stars in thriller with a late twist
Fearless Mortlock stars in thriller with a late twist
Greg Growden | February 14, 2009
IT'S summer. We're still working on our tans. Nonetheless in the wrong season that autumn rugby indulgence, otherwise known as the Super 14, could not have started on a more spectacular note at the House of Pain last night.
Last minute victory. Dramatic field goal. Whooping and hollering. Anguished losers close to tears. Crazy bash-and-barge tries. And best of all, to start it off there was 100 seconds of unbroken play without one shrill from the referee's whistle.
Yes, the rugby season is upon us, and if the Brumbies-Highlanders game, which yielded nine tries, is any indication of what's to come, the Super 14 could become the required elixir to make us temporarily forget about all that financial doom and gloom.
The Brumbies are delighted they somehow got out of Dunedin with a first-round triumph, after giving the Highlanders a 19-point head start. And those masterminds at Wallaby HQ would have been as delighted that one of their main men took another step towards ensuring longevity to his international career.
When Stirling Mortlock and his Welsh counterpart Jamie Roberts collided last November during the Millennium Stadium Test, making a deafening sound similar to the crashing of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra cymbals, the Wallaby captain must have wondered whether his slotting into No.12 was a wise career move.
The long-time outside-centre had been pushed in one spot due to the early tour departure of Berrick Barnes, with Wallaby coach Robbie Deans and company believing that being closer to the action would work in the 31-year-old's favour and help him hang around until the next World Cup in 2011.
The Kamikaze Kid knows only one way - straight, fast and direct - and being just one pass away from the action at No.12 appeared enticing. However, after smashing into Roberts in the opening minute of the Welsh Test, putting Mortlock into la la land while his opponent staggering around the field for 15 minutes with a fractured skull, the skipper would have been excused if he went up to his coach and said: "Forget it. Find some other mug."
Three months on, it's not the case. Mortlock was last night back at No.12. How he operated basically won the Brumbies the match.
It just took the Brumbies a bit of time to work out how to use Mortlock properly. Set moves are perfect. Putting a pressure on him also has the desired effect, as shown in the opening quarter where the visitors decided not to tackle.
Sanity returned in the 25th minute when from a scrum in the Highlanders quarter, the Brumbies front row, who deliberately did not set square all game, put the pressure on, providing the clean ball that enabled halfback Patrick Phibbs, fullback Mark Gerrard and Mortlock to perform an oft rehearsed move. A wide pass to Gerrard, with Mortlock charging in at full speed off his right shoulder was enough to start the Brumbies revival with his 50th Super football try.
Then in the second half, from the back of a breakdown, Mortlock had the room to again attack the line at full speed, hit and spin in the tackle, and once more finish off the attacking move. It was then time to get some other people into the action. Mortlock's impact improved when his five-eighth Christian Lealiifano, who in last week's trial against the Waratahs obviously thought he was rugby's version of Cliffy Lyons by running across field all night, realised how much more effective it was to go straight, and take the ball to the line.
That gave better formation to the Brumbies attack and with it came a marvellous Mortlock cut-out pass to Gerrard that put the former Wallaby away for the team's fourth try. And when it got a bit silly in the final moments, with the Highlanders taking a one-point lead, Mortlock's experience told. In the last minute, Mortlock just put his head down and barged into several opponents, making crucial territory.
His teammates got the hint and followed Mortlock's example. A few phases later, Lealiifano was close enough to the sticks to kick the winning field goal. Cheeky matchwinning stuff. And all due to the Kamikaze Kid.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...028297874.html
Brumbies seal nail-biting victory
Brumbies seal nail-biting victory
February 13, 2009 - 7:40PM
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...028286915.html
Five-eighth Christian Lealiifano landed a last-minute field goal to give the Brumbies an amazing 33-31 opening round Super 14 win over the Highlanders in Dunedin.
The Highlanders scored the first 19 points, but the Brumbies then piled on the next 30 to lead by 11 points heading into the final few minutes.
However, tries to reserve forwards Chris King and Jason Rutledge put the home team up 31-30, though the missed conversion of the latter five-pointer proved costly.
With around 45 seconds remaining, young pivot Lealiifano calmly potted the decisive score from 30-metres out to give new Brumbies coach Andy Friend a heartstopping victory.
The Highlanders scored five tries to four, but an inspirational performance from Wallabies captain and centre Stirling Mortlock triggered the visitors' comeback.
Mortlock powered his way over for two tries either side of halftime and set up another for fullback Mark Gerrard with a perfect cut out pass.
His centre partner Adam Ashley-Cooper scored the other try for the Brumbies, who trailed 19-10 at halftime.
Friend must have wondered what he had got himself into after his side conceded three tries in the first 20 minutes to trail 19-0.
The Highlanders lost Test players Jimmy Cowan and Jamie Mackintosh to injury in the first half, but the home side grabbed the early initiative through tries to centre Jason Shoemark, winger Fetu'u Vainkolo and five-eighth Daniel Bowden.
The Brumbies finally turned their territorial dominance into points when Mortlock charged over the line on an angled run after 25 minutes.
Gerrard converted and kicked a penalty to reduce the deficit to nine by the break.
Mortlock spun away from two defenders and crashed through another two to score the second Brumbies try just two minutes after the restart.
A further Gerrard penalty got the visitors to within one point.
The Brumbies maintained their remarkable resurgence to hit the front in the 48th minute when Ashley-Cooper crossed following good work by Lealiifano after a lineout win by lock Ben Hand.
Ashley-Cooper's try earned the Brumbies a bonus point and Gerrard's conversion completed a 30-point blitz in just 27 minutes.
The Highlanders turned the possession and territory statistics around in the final quarter and King and Rutledge crossed to put them within sight of an improbable victory.
However, the Brumbies showed great composure in the dying seconds to set up Lealiifano's drop goal.
It capped a good performance from the young five-eighth, who shone along with Mortlock, Hand and star recruit and Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore.
BRUMBIES 33 (Stirling Mortlock 2, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Mark Gerrard tries Gerrard 2 cons 2 pens Christian Lealiifano drop goal) bt HIGHLANDERS 31 (Daniel Bowden, Chris King, Jason Rutledge, Jason Shoemark, Fetuu Vainikolo tries Bowden 3 cons) at Carisbrook Stadium. Referee: James Leckie (AUS).
Originally Posted by Evie
- Moore was solid... line outs & scrums solid
- Phibbs pass mark...brumbies communication scratchy in first 30 minutes...
- Holmes was sound in second half but not a stand out..
- Salvi Smith combo worked two good fetchers made it tough for the Highlanders and broke any multi phase play...
- Good to see Clyde back... didn't make a mistake. He was off for a while with a nasty cut to his cheek...Solid come back match
- The new Centre combo of Mortlock Ashley Cooper worked last night...
Mark Gerrard played very well at fullback
Thak you! Doubt I will see many (if any) Brumbies games this season... stupid time difference.
Adore this life
There is no guarantee
Could end by tomorrow
Brumbies' pleasure and pain
Brumbies' pleasure and pain
PETER FITZGERALD
15/02/2009 11:00:00 AM
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...n/1433968.aspx
WINGER Clyde Rathbone returned home to Canberra battered and bruised last night, but the rest of his ACT Brumbies teammates arrived on a high following their heart-stopping win in the Super 14 season opener on Friday night.
Rathbone received 15 stitches to his left cheekbone and upper lip following a heavy collision in the first half of the 33-31 win over the Otago Highlanders in Dunedin.
Brumbies medical staff will assess Rathbone's injury tomorrow, but expect him to be available for selection for Saturday night's first home game against the Canterbury Crusaders.
The winger, who was playing his first Super 14 match in almost two years, was sporting an impressive bruiser yesterday.
''I'm on painkillers so I can't feel much but it doesn't look real pretty does it?'' Rathbone laughed.
''It was a fairly heavy knock and it obviously did some damage there but not enough I wouldn't think to make me miss any matches.''
Rathbone and his teammates were last night still celebrating the come-from-behind season-opening win, which came thanks to a Christian Lealiifano drop goal in the final minute.
The victory was the perfect start to the season with the Brumbies set to enjoy three consecutive home games against the Crusaders, Western Force and NSW Waratahs.
Adam Ashley-Cooper admitted to feeling ''sore all over'' yesterday, but said it wasn't a pain that could hinder the jubilant mood Friday night's win generated.
Outside centre Ashley-Cooper and his inside centre partner Stirling Mortlock played a significant role in the result at Carisbrook particularly after the combination failed dismally in the final trial game against the NSW Waratahs.
''It was a sign of great things to come and we'll both grow in confidence from that which will be a great thing for the Brumbies,'' Ashley-Cooper said.
''We prepared well, we did the little things right and most importantly we learned from our mistakes against the Waratahs and fixed them for that first competition match.''
Mortlock scored a pair of tries in the win, while Ashley-Cooper got his name on the scoreboard in the second half.
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