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Brumbies 21 Chiefs 31
Brumbies - Ikitau, Toole & Samu tries; Lolesio & Debreczeni 2 conversions
Chiefs - Jacobson, Ioane, Ratima & Stevenson tries; McKenzie 4 conversions & penalty
Second half
40th minute - Debreczeni tries to break through midfield and Muirhead kicks ahead, but he's taken out by Cane, before he can chase. The ball is knocked dead by the Chiefs to concede a five-metre scrum, as the siren sounds.
TRY to Samu
Another big shove from the Chiefs scrum, but the Brumbies stay stable enough for Samu to run off the back and score untouched. Debreczeni converts from the sideline, but to no avail, CHI 31-21
39th minute - Brumbies win a lineout near halfway and Samu breaks down the sideline.
38th minute - Chiefs win a lineout, but they're penalised for obstruction, when Ratima spins back into his forwards.
37th minute - Chiefs win a scrum penalty, but Jacobson breaks off the back and kicks downfield.
36th minute - Chiefs win the lineout and surge towards the 22. Now the Brumbies must tackle and they win a penalty.
They tap and break upfield, but Sapsford loses the ball in Chiefs half.
35th minute - Brumbies win a lineout on their goal-line and Debreczeni finds touch outside the 22.
34th minute - Ah Kuoi wins the lineout and the Chiefs try to build phases in front of the posts. They shift right, but Stevenson's looping pass can't be taken by Narawa.
33rd minute - Chiefs have a penalty at the ruck and McKenzie kicks to the corner.
32nd minute - Chiefs chase the kickoff hard and reclaim the ball. Ratima bumps off a tackle near the ruck and outsprints the cover defence to score.
Replays show Retallick illegally played the ball on the ground at the ruck, so no try.
29th minute - TRY to Toole
From the defensive scrum, the Chiefs knock on in midfield. Chiefs scrum disrupts the ball, but when the Brumbies shift left, the winger darts in at the corner.
Debreczeni converts from the sideline, CHI 31-14
27th minute - Lonergan throws a long pass to Muirhead, but Stevenson has him covered on the right. Chiefs hold Reimer up in the tackle and win the maul.
26th minute - Brumbies win the lineout and Chiefs are tackling again.
25th minute - Brumbies build phases, but Jacobson is everywhere and steals the ball. McKenzie clears, but not as far as his 22.
24th minute - Brumbies surge back towards the 22 and Hooper storms into the red zone.
23rd minute - Hooper surges towards the posts, but can't find his support. The ball goes forward over the tryline for a Chiefs dropout.
22nd minute - Brumbies win the lineout, but are pushed back in the maul. Lolesio tries to weave through the defence.
21st minute - From the kickoff, McKenzies takes the ball and send Jacobson on another run, but Brumbies have penalty and kick to the corner again.
20th minute - TRY to Stevenson
Ross steals the loose ball from an attempted offload, and Narawa dashes into the 22. When confronted, he looks inside and finds Stevenson in support.
The try is reviewed for offside and confirmed. McKenzie converts, CHI 31-7
19th minute - Stevenson enters the game for Ioane, so McKenzie will move to first-five. Jacobson runs off the back of the scrum towards the 22 and McKenzie clears into Brumbies half.
18th minute - Lolesio kicks to touch and Brumbies win the attacking lineout. They maul towards the line, but get nowhere.
Chiefs push the maul over and win the scrumfeed.
17th minute - Jacobson secures the kickoff, Chiefs clear their 22, but Brumbies surge back on attack. The attack breaks down, but they have penalty advantage.
15th minute - TRY to Ratima
Brumbies try to break out of their half down the left, but the Chief halfback is perfectly place to pick off an inside pass between forwards to race away and score. McKenzie converts, CHI 24-7
14th minute - Lolesio kicks and Jacobson brings the ball back. Chiefs lose the ball and Brumbies try to break out of their half.
13th minute - Advantage is over and Brumbies steal the ball back, clearing towards halfway. Narawa kicks to the corner and chases, but Muirhead forces for the dropout.
12th minute - From the scrum, Ratima's pass is knocked on, but the Chiefs pour towards the posts.
11th minute - Both props are off for the Brumbies - Slipper is a straight replacement and Alaalatoa is being helped to the sideline.
Chiefs put the push on, but Berry wants a reset.
10th minute - Big scrum from the Chiefs, but Brumbies secure possession and Lonergan puts up a high kick, taken by Nanai-Seturo in traffic. McKenzie kicks long for a poteitnail 50-22, Wright cuts it off, but fumbles, so Chiefs attacking scrum near the tryline.
Ninth minute - From the scrum, Ikitau tries to kick ahead, but Nankivell comes away with the ball to put the Chiefs on the attack. Brumbies win a scrum feed at the maul.
Eighth minute - Brumbies lineout throw goes astray, but Jacobson can't gather cleanly, so Brumbies scrum.
Seventh minute - Retallick steal a ball at rucktime and Nankivell clears to halfway from inside his 22.
Sixth minute - Lolesio tries to break upfield and Brumbies have a penalty to clear their half.
Brumbies win a lienout outside the Chiefs 22.
Fifth minute - Lolesio kicks across the field for Tua, but McKenzie takes the catch and the Chiefs go on attack.
Fourth minute - Brumbies win the lineout and shift left, where Alaalatoa enters the 22. They knock on and McKenzie kicks deep.
Third minute - Lolesio finds touch on the Chiefs 22, but Samu has to leave the field injured.
Second minute - Brumbies still looking for a way to the Chiefs 22 and win penalty advantage. Lolesio kicks over the defensive line, Nankivell has it covered and Berry brings them back for the penalty.
First minute - Lolesio kicks off Brumbies and McKenzie kicks deep down the centre of the park. Ikitau enters the Chiefs half.
Halftime
40th minute - Sowakula wins the defensive lineout and Ioane clears upfield. Lolesio breaks to the 22 and Brumbies are hot on attack again, but the Chiefs win a clearing penalty at the ruck.
That's halftime.
39th minute - Chiefs just keep tackling and when Brumbies shift right, they have an overlap, but the last pass from Wright to Muirhead bounces and allows time for the defenders to cover.
38th minute - Lolesio kicks to the corner and Brumbies win the attacking lineout. Chiefs hold up the maul and the ball is released to the backs.
37th minute - After 18 phases, Berry finally brings them back for the penalty, after two Brumbies players collide.
36th minute - Brumbies have phases among the forwards and win penalty advantage.
35th minute - From the restart, Ioane clears outside his 22. Brumbies win the lineout and Ikitau threatens down the left.
32nd minute - TRY to Ioane
Chiefs have penalty advantage and switch play. Ioane bounces off Tua's tackle and finds a big space opened up in front of him to score.
McKenzie's conversion bounces over off the left upright, CHI 17-7
31st minute - From the scrum, Ratima breaks through. Jacobson heads to the posts, Sowakula and Taukei'aho carry it on...
30th minute - Cane charges towards the tryline, but the Brumbies knock the ball on and the Chiefs have an attacking scrum feed. Alaalatoa has rejoined the game, so Brumbies will have the full pack.
29th minute - McKenzie kicks ahead for Nankivell, but it beats him into touch inside the Brumbies 22.
Chiefs steal the long lineout throw and go left, where Narawa finds Nanai-Seturo with a long pass.
28th minute - Jacobson breaks off the back of the scrum and heads towards halfway. Chiefs shift right, where McKenzie sends Nankivell on a run over halfway.
27th minute - Brumbies win a short lineout inside the Chiefs 22, but Lonergan knocks the return pass forward.
25th minute - Brumbies scrum disintegrates, but they win a penalty.
24th minute - From the kickoff, Nanai-Seturo busts up midfield and Chiefs break towards halfway.
23rd minute - PENALTY to McKenzie
Alaalatoa has escaped further punishment for the tackle and McKenzie makes no mistake with the kick from in front, CHI 10-7
22nd minute - Retallick wins the attacking lineout and the Chiefs have penalty advantage in midfield. They shift left, Narawa kicks to the tryline for Nanai-Seturo, but Lonergan is there and Berry applies the penalty.
21st minute - Scrum collapses and Chiefs have a penalty. Ioane kicks to the corner.
20th minute - Brumbies knockon and Chiefs will have a scrum feed. Brumbies must bring on a prop in Alaalatoa's absence.
19th minute - YELLOW CARD to Alaalatoa
TMO reviews a tackle from Alaalatoa on Retallick and it's deemed high. The Brumbies skipper is sin-binned, pending a review.
Ioane finds touch towards the Brumbies 22 and Chiefs win a long throw, then lose the ball to Lonergan.
18th minute - Better scrum from the Chiefs and they switch play, but Nankivell is stopped on the left. Ball goes loose and Brumbies come away with it, but throw a forward pass.
17th minute - Brumbies win a lineout on the Chiefs 10, but they lose the ball forward in midfield.
16th minute - Hooper steals the Chiefs lineout throw and Brumbies have the ball inside Chiefs half. Lolesio kicks high and Muirhead chases, but Sowakula secures the ball for the Chiefs.
15th minute - Brumbies win a lineout inside the 22, but it's untidy and they're penalised at the ruck.
14th minute - Brumbies counter-ruck and win a penalty near their 10.
13th minute - Weber leaves the field for a head exam. From the kickoff, Wright's clearing kick is charged down and the Chiefs go on attack.
11th minute - TRY to Ikitau
Brumbies win the lineout and maul towards the tryline. They release to the backs, Tua goes twice, before offloading to Ikitau to score under the crossbar.
Lolesio converts from in front, 7-7
10th minute - Lolesio kicks to the corner for an attacking lineout. Brumbies win the lineout and have another penalty advantage.
Lolesio kicks to the goal area, but McKenzie is there and Berry brings them back for the penalty.
Ninth minute - Big scrum from the Brumbies, but they lose ground. Brumbies have penalty advantage inside the 22.
Eighth minute - Ioane's clearance kick is charged down behind his goal-line and Brumbies will have a five-metre scrum.
Seventh minute - Weber kicks high and Lolesio is underneath, entering the Chiefs half. Wright kicks to the corner and McKenzie is cornered by the chasers.
Sixth minute - Chiefs secure the kickoff and Ioane clears towards the 10.
Brumbies win the lineout and Lolesio kicks high. Samu chases, but the Chiefs have the ball.
Third minute - TRY to Jacobson
Big scrum from the Brumbies, but Jacobson takes the ball of the back and finds no defenders on the blindside, sprinting down the sideline to score.
McKenzie slots the conversion from wide out, CHI 7-0
Second minute - Chiefs win an untidy lineout, but Taukei'aho tidies up. Ioane kicks long infield and Wright is taken in midfield.
Chiefs force a knockon at the ruck, so they get a scrum in Brumbies territory.
First minute - After the traditional 'Welcome to Country', Ioane will kick off the Chiefs. Nic Berry will officiate.
Brumbies work a couple of phases and then shift right to exit their 22. Wright breaks upfield, but Toole is tackled into touch, before he can kick ahead.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between ACT Brumbies and the Chiefs at Canberra's GIO Stadium.
For most of the season, these two teams have occupied the top spots on the competition table. While the Brumbies have fallen to third, after tumbling to Western Force last week, they are still streets ahead of any other Aussie team and probably the only realistic threat to another all-NZ final.
This encounter could very easily be a preview of the championship game, although it would be staged at Hamilton, not the Australian capital.
Victory for the Chiefs would clinch home advantage through the post-season, but defeat would set up a mouthwatering final round of games to decide the top spot.
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has taken a chance by playing Josh Ioane at No.10, with in-form Damian McKenzie moved to fullback. All Blacks Tupou Vaa'i and Anton Lienert-Brown also sit out on mandated rest.
Join us at 9:30pm for kickoff.
TAB Odds: Chiefs $1.57, Brumbies $2.40, Draw $21
Brumbies: 1-James Slipper, 2-Lachlan Lonergan, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 4-Nick Frost, 5-Tom Hooper, 6-Rob Valetini, 7-Jahrome Brown, 8-Pete Samu, 9-Ryan Lonergan, 10-Noah Lolesio, 11-Corey Toole, 12-Tamati Tua, 13-Len Ikitau, 14-Andy Muirhead, 15-Tom Wright
Reserves: 16-Connal McInerney, 17-Blake Schoupp, 18-Sefo Kautai, 19-Darcy Swain, 20-Luke Reimer, 21-Klayton Thorn, 22-Jack Debreczeni, 23-Ollie Sapsford
Chiefs: 1-Aidan Ross, 2-Samisoni Taukei'aho, 3-George Dyer, 4-Brodie Retallick, 5-Laghlan McWhannell, 6-Pita Gus Sowakula, 7-Sam Cane, 8-Luke Jacobson, 9-Brad Weber, 10-Josh Ioane, 11-Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12-Rameka Poihipi, 13-Alex Nankivell, 14-Emoni Nankivell, 14-Emoni Narawa, 15-Damian McKenzie
Reserves: 16-Bradley Slater, 17-Ollie Norris, 18-John Ryan, 19-Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20-Samipeni Finau, 21-Cortez Ratima, 22-Daniel Rona, 23-Shaun Stevenson
Chiefs newcomer downs tools to take up long-term Super Rugby deal
Midfielder Daniel Rona's impressive stint with the Chiefs has earned him a freshly minted three-year contract with the Super Rugby franchise.
It's a far cry from the start of the year, when he mixed the pursuit of his dream with 4am starts, mixing concrete in Taranaki.
"It's been a dream of mine, since I was a kid, to play Super Rugby, so now that it’s happened, it's pretty cool," Rona told Newshub.
Rona, 22, was called into the Chiefs squad during pre-season as an injury replacement, unsure where the opportunity would lead him.
Scoring tries for the competition leaders is a long way from being on the tools with his mates in Taranaki.
"Can't be more proud of him," said Trent Pickering, Rona's friend and workmate.
"From having run-it-straights on the beers in the backyard to watching him on TV... it's good."
His now-former workmates will have plenty of time to do that, with Rona's strong play rewarded with a permanent deal through until the end of 2026.
"I suppose, if he can do it, then anyone can," Pickering added. "I’ve taught him most of the things he knows."
While Rona's thrilled to have his dream come true, he admits he'll miss the everyday banter on the building site.
"I'll miss going to work with the boys though," he confessed. "We've got a good crew down there.
"That's probably what I'll miss the most, but definitely not the 4am starts, that's for sure."
Of course, his mates aren't letting him off without some due freebies.
"We want corporate boxes, endless beers and food."
