The Brumbies’ Super Rugby Pacific season is over in heartbreaking fashion, beaten 19-6 in a tight semi-final by the Chiefs in Hamilton.
They never led, lost both territory and possession and were often camped on their line but somehow took the game down to the wire only to fall short of a history-making win.
The final will once again be an all-New Zealand affair, the Chiefs’ stellar defence to face off with the Crusaders’ potent attack.
In making an emphatic end-of-season statement, the Crusaders beat the Blues 52-15 on Friday night.
The Brumbies’ best chance of victory came when camped deep in opposition territory down 9-6 with 10 minutes to play, only for a dubious knock-on call to go against them when it looked as if Chiefs forward Pita Gus Sowakula had jumped over the ruck and stripped the ball.
It was a key moment Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham reflected on, a particularly vital decision given they opted against taking a penalty goal and trying to square things up at 9-9.
“We're just down on their line and the maul collapsed and then they dive over the ruck and strip it out of the halfback's hands … that one hurt, so we'll take that up with the refs,” Larkham told the Nine Network.
“We certainly had our chances, for most of the game we played a good game, we didn't make any mistakes really throughout that first half, a couple of penalties but outside of that a really disciplined game.
“We had our chance to put some points on (but the Chiefs) have been good all year haven't they? The best defensive team in the competition.”
Chiefs’ five-eighth Damian McKenzie nailed all four of his penalty goal attempts, including one from the half-way line on 72 minutes to gain a six-point advantage.
He helped create the knockout blow with a line break, capped by lock Brodie Retallick’s pick-and-go try.
The Brumbies couldn’t end the perfect record of Kiwi teams hosting Australian sides in finals, and it’s the second time in as many years the Brumbies have exited in a semi-final on New Zealand soil.
Larkham said his thoughts immediately went to personnel leaving the club - chiefly legendary coach Laurie Fisher, veteran halfback Nic White and gun back-rower Pete Samu - who couldn’t end their terms with the title they had dreamed about.
“In the coach's box immediately to my right was Dan Palmer and Laurie Fisher and I felt pretty bad, the amount of time and effort those guys have put into this program,” he said.
“Whitey and Pete Samu are the two big guys there that have put their heart and soul into this club ... they've had success in Super Rugby AU but we know that the big one is really playing against New Zealand teams.”
The Brumbies played the territory game more than they normally would and kicked at will in opportunities where they would usually run.
They lost that battle to a virtuoso performance from McKenzie who controlled the game with his boot and exploited space left in behind the back three.
“We've probably won every single type of way possible this season, and that was just a hell of a grind against a good Brumbies team,” Chiefs captain Brad Weber said.
“It took 77 minutes and that's when your big-time players step up, Damian through the middle and then Brodie does what he does best.”
