The ACT Brumbies had enough class to fight their way to victory over the Fijian Drua.
The hosts were under fire for most of the second half but found a way to close out the 28-20 win in wet conditions.
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So what did we learn?
When Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham challenged his side to back up last week’s win, this was the last thing he had in mind regardless of the victory.
They were clunky in attack, often undone by poor handling or an inability to finish their chances.
On top of this, they were uncharacteristically ill-disciplined in defence, gifting the Drua countless opportunities to build pressure with 12 straight penalties.
Ultimately, the Brumbies’ class proved the difference in the crunch moments to close out the game in the final quarter but the inconsistency will frustrate Larkham.
Luke Reimer saved the Brumbies’ blushes with a monster impact from the bench.
His breakdown steal in the 61st minute changed the game after the Drua had camped themselves inside the Brumbies 22 for close to 20 minutes.
Reimer came up with another turnover two minutes later and when they went on the attack, the flanker was there to finish it.
Debutant Liam Bowron was also crucial, steadying the scrum and throwing straight in key moments to ensure the win.
The Drua’s set piece was excellent as they dominated the Brumbies throughout the night.
The Brumbies lost James Slipper early and his absence was telling as they monstered the hosts at scrum-time.
They also scored a nicely worked rolling maul right before the break to get back into the contest. The evolution of their tight five has been a sight to see over the past 12-18 months.
For the Drua to get to the next level, they need to find a way to turn opportunities like this into wins
Tamati Tua and Len Ikitau have a decent case for the best midfield partnership in Super Rugby.
Ikitau hasn’t missed a step after returning from injury, showing his elusiveness to cross for the opener. He then came up with a clutch pilfer penalty to stop the Drua’s final charge after Epeli Momo’s surge.
Meanwhile, Tua is in career-best form and troubled the Drua whenever he touched the ball.
The two combined for a slick try right before the break, with Tua’s deft grubber, picked up off the deck by Ikitau for a crucial five-pointer.
Their combination will be massive heading into the end of the season with the likes of Hurricanes, Blues and Chiefs stacked with internationals in the midfield.
Allan Alaalatoa will remember his return to captaincy after crossing for a rare five pointer.
It was the first try for the prop since 2019 and his third since 2014 as part of a rampant start.
Alaalatoa has solidified the Brumbies pack since his return from an Achilles injury. He provides a calming influence during the crunch moments and gets through a mountain of work to get the job done for his side.
