ACT Brumbies have added insult to injury, maintaining their unbeaten Super Rugby Pacific run against NZ teams with a 38-28 win over the Chiefs at Hamilton.
After beating the Highlanders and Hurricanes across the Tasman, the top-ranked Aussies showed they had the measure of their Kiwi rivals on this side of the ditch, denting the home side's much-vaunted forwards dominance in the process.
After toppling the Reds in Brisbane last week, Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan boasted of his side's scrum prowess, claiming his squad had the two best scrums of the competition.
That reputation took a hammering 16 minutes into this contest, when the Brumbies turned a Chiefs defensive scrum, winning a penalty and scoring through hooker Folau Faingaa from the ensuing lineout drive.
"We knew we were in for a massive battle tonight and if we're brutally honest, we just made too many handling errors," admitted captain Sam Cane. "Some of those were caused by pressure from the Brumbies and some were just poor skillset from us.
"To turn over that much ball and give a quality side like the Brumbies that many attacking opportunities in our 22... they were good enough to capitalise. They managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over and we were always just chasing."
The Brumbies snatched an early lead, when halfback Nic White dived over in the corner, but Chiefs centre Alex Nankivell responded, scoring after an offload from Quinn Tupaea was deflected over the tryline.
Fainga'a's try gave the visitors a lead they would never concede again, but halfback Cortez Ratima brought the Chiefs within 18-14 at the break.
Soon after the restart, Brumbies centre Len Ikitau scored to open a double-figure advantage, but the pivotal point of the contest probably came after Chiefs No.8 Pita Gus Sowakula charged over from an attacking lineout.
Trailling by only a converted try, the home side had another chance to strike from an identical position moments later, but opted not to call the same effective move and their momentum died.
White tormented the Chiefs - particularly first-five Bryn Gatland and fullback Kaleb Trask - with his high box kicks, while first-five Noah Lolesio made them pay for their indiscipline, especially in their own 22, kicking four penalties to keep the scoreboard moving.
The result comes as a warning to the Brumbies' remaining NZ opponents - the Crusaders next Friday and table-topping Blues the following Saturday, both at Canberra.
Brumbies 38 (White, Ikitau, Pollard & Fainga'a tries, Lolesio 3 conversions & 4 penalties) Chiefs 28 (Nankivell, Sowakula, Ah Kuoi & Ratima tries, Gatland 2 & Trask 2 conversions)
Join us at 3:30pm Sunday for the Hurricanes v Fijian Drua Super Rugby Pacific clash
