Brumbies hooker Lachlan Lonergan bailed out his front-row mate Allan Alaalatoa with a try two minutes from time in a thrilling 29-23 Super Rugby Pacific win over the Force in Canberra on Sunday.
The Force were on track for a major upset, up 23-22, before Pete Samu and Tom Wright combined nicely down the right edge and sent Lonergan over for the five-pointer that allowed Noah Lolesio to kick the winning conversion.
The home side made hard work of it after captain Alaalatoa turned down an easy penalty that would have given the Brumbies a nine point lead with 15 minutes to play.
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In the prop’s defence, that gamble had paid off earlier with a rolling maul try from a lineout to rising flanker Rory Scott.
“It was way too close but we managed to get away with it and sneak the points in the end,” Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said.
“The reality is we made too many mistakes today in that first 25 minutes – the lineout didn’t function well, the Force put us under pressure and we struggled to apply any pressure but we got away with it.”
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Winger Wright was named man of the match after a sparkling display that included the opening try and the game clinching assist.
“He’s innovative isn’t he?’ All Blacks great Andrew Mehrtens said on Stan Sport.
“We saw him when he saved a ball going into touch right on the Brumbies line in the first half, good skill and he just fights.
“He’s got good feet and was clinical at the end – he’s got great pace and acceleration. He gets himself involved and went forward every time he got an opportunity.”
While the Force were left heartbroken, their committed performance bodes well for a competitive Australian portion of the competition.
“All the things we know the Force bring: physicality, never say die attitude, a hard working forward pack – they brought,” former Wallaby Morgan Turinui said on Stan Sport.
Brumbies 29 (Wright, Fainga’a, Scott, L Lonergan tries; Lolesion 3 con, pen) Force 23 (Pulu, McIntyre tries; Prior 3 pen, con; McIntryre con)
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