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Wed 19 Jun 2013 | 06:19
The Brumbies upset the touring Lions with historic victory in Canberra

29
Comments

Brumbies coach Jake White has described their 14-12 victory over the touring British and Irish Lions as one of the highlights of his life. It was the first midweek loss by the Lions since 1997, when they lost to Northern Transvaal in South Africa.

The Lions lost to an Australian provincial side for the first time in 42 years as their 2013 winning run came to an end with what coach Warren Gatland has called a 'reality check'.

The Kiwi coach picked somewhat of a scratch side to face the Brumbies, including no less than four players that had joined the squad just days prior to kick-off in Canberra.

The Brumbies themselves weren't at full strength however, missing the majority of their Wallaby players and fielding an inexperienced outfit, an aspect that thrilled coach Jake White.

"It's as high as it gets," said White after the famous win. "I've been lucky enough to win a senior and junior World Cup, but to beat the Lions, especially the way it was done, with a group of boys with 28 Test caps, of which one player (Clyde Rathbone) has 26, and [skipper Peter Kimlin] two.

"It's got to be as good as it gets in rugby union. It's a massive result. This is a very young group of players who only got together 18 months ago and no one would ever have dreamt that we would have achieve Super Rugby-wise but to also get a win against the Lions doesn't happen.

"The boys sitting in the Wallaby camp watching that will be thinking that it is doable now. The Wallabies probably thought that they faced a massive uphill battle. Now they are thinking that it is possible," said the Springbok's 2007 Rugby World Cup winning coach.

Warren Gatland said that they lacked urgency and intensity in the first half, but there were positive signs in the second that they will be taking forward to the first Test on Saturday.

"It's part of being on tour. You regroup after you get a bit of a knock and you take your disappointment and it's how you respond to it, how this group of players respond to it this weekend. It's a reality check."

View extended highlights

Do you think the Wallabies now have the psychological edge going into the first Test?

Extended highlights of the Brumbies' famous victory over the British and Irish Lions in Canberra

Posted By: Grant Constable

29 Comments

  • paulc
    10:37 AM 24/06/2013

    By no means an acceptable performance at all Best had a stinker I would have had Strauss instead but I'm a leinster man so could be bias, Well done to the Brumbies!

  • paulc
    10:25 AM 24/06/2013

    Don't get me wrong the Brumbies deserved to win and fair play to them! My point was aimed at the press etc maybe it was just what came across in the Irish press but all the Australian comments had the Lions written off for the tests. Really wasn't trying to brush off the Brumbies win!

  • drg
    2:12 AM 21/06/2013

    Agree with the Halfpenny comment, at least for the Lions, and again totally agree with the spectacular lack of Cooper.

    As you said, he's not everyones cup of tea, the kind of player you'd love to step on in a ruck, but he is brilliant. Big mistake to leave him out I think... or as someone else said "It's criminal!"

  • drg
    12:33 PM 20/06/2013

    Jon so what you're saying is that if ANY one of those above players are missing then it is acceptable to call the Tah's a second string side?

    Funny, because normally teams like to have a bit of depth so that players:
    a) fight for their place amongst their peers.
    b) have an equally good player to call up due to injury...

  • drg
    12:30 PM 20/06/2013

    I meant Drew Mitchell actually... not sure where AAC came from...

  • drg
    12:29 PM 20/06/2013

    To answer your question: 2 I believe. As Jon said, they are internationals, might have been a seconds team but it was by no means an acceptable performance!

    It was a brilliant victory for the Brumbies, and well deserved. Man up and pay them their dues!

  • drg
    12:26 PM 20/06/2013

    Not entirely sure I'd agree with that assessment.

    Wade gets dummied by 12, leaving a gap, so Hogg has to step in to make the tackle, the ball gets passed to 13, so Hogg pulls out of tackle. 13 blitzes down the line, Wade gives chase, makes awful tackle attempt, 13 uses Wade as a barrier and pushes him into Kearney, although 13 gets slowed down just enough for Hogg to get a hold on him from behind...

    So pretty sure it was shocking defence from Wade...

  • lucius
    11:11 AM 20/06/2013

    The tour is over, Aussie-Lions 3-0

  • darabman
    7:34 AM 20/06/2013

    Not worried about the tests, a second-string brumbies did well to pip it over a second-string Lions but I think Gatts is playing things close to his chest.

    A lot of the Lions were either given their last gasp for a test or were thrown in as cover for the first-picks.

    The loss was sobering and necessary, only a fool would think that this is the performance we'll see on Saturday. Lions 3-0

  • juggernauter
    6:25 AM 20/06/2013

    Also can anybody explain me why Wycliff Palu is starting on Saturday? A player WAY past his prime, who breaks in the big occasions. A bold approach would've been to pick Gill/Hooper/Mowen and let them roam and terrorise the Lions. Big shame that Higginbotham, Pocock and Smith got injured... massive strength in depth there for the Wallabies tough.

  • juggernauter
    6:22 AM 20/06/2013

    The axing of Cooper is mesmerizing really, Deans playing vendetta for some unfortunate comments made last year. Quade may not be everyone's cup of tea but he can spark any backline and his understanding with Genia is second to none. I think Deans all but overexposed O'Connor giving him the playmaking duties, he's a world class winger but no real 10, just like Hogg. I'd have picked Cooper to start with Toomua as back up. McCabe is a hard, commited player but way too much of a battering ram, no kicking game or stepping technique whatsoever.

    I just sense that Halfpenny will be the star of the series haha

  • juggernauter
    5:32 AM 20/06/2013

    Problem was that the Brumbies monopolized the rucks, always got there first and with more aggression (in a good way) and therefore starved the Lions of quality ball to use. I think Twelvetrees is a good playmaker, but he needs a ball playing kinda 10 (i.e. not Farrell), and a skilled, fast paced 13, like Davies (definitely not Barritt, excellent in defence but impossibly dull in attack) a bit like the Toomua-Lealiifano-Kuridrani/Smith combination for the Brumbies, who terrorize defence with a mix if skill, pace, great kicking, dummies, stepping, etc.

    I think the Aussies will take the series 2-1. I for one will be glued to my TV.

  • juggernauter
    2:36 AM 20/06/2013

    Robshaw better than Tipuric? In what front?

  • juggernauter
    2:35 AM 20/06/2013

    Yep that's what I meant haha. Weird how a star studded team as the Lions (for whom I held the biggest respect) struggled for 40' with a second string provincial side.

    Anyway, can't wait for the tests!!

  • totesmcgoates
    1:33 AM 20/06/2013

    Hogg hit the post with two of his attempts. Farrell slotted his from memory.

  • juggernauter
    12:29 AM 20/06/2013

    Yep that could be true, but I think the Lions should worry more about performances than results in the warm up matches, people will remember the Test Matches and the warm ups will be an anecdote... And in terms of performance they were put to the sword by the Reds and Brumbies, and for the first half of their game with the Tahs, a game they won because the stars like Halfpenny, Davies, et al clicked.

    On a side note, Warburton's performance in the 1st Test will be critical for his starting aspirations on the 2nd and 3rd I think.

    Cheers

  • stroudos
    10:20 PM 19/06/2013

    Couldn't agree more. Have been banging on about it for ages. RD, wtf is going on here? It's becoming a bit of a trend. RD used to be the sanctuary where you'd actually get to see this interesting action from a match, the big hits, the niggle, the odd bit of skill and dexterity, the build-up to penalty awards rather than the act of converting those into points.

    Conversion kicks and penalty kicks are NOT "highlights" - they're simply records of points being scored and offer no other entertainment value. Unless there's a random gust of wind with a comedy result, if the balls bounces off both posts and the crossbar, if the kicker falls on his arse mid-kick, if someone chases a missed kick and dots down, something like that. Long, pointless close-ups of a bloke lining up a kick are NOT interesting - although I must admit I enjoyed the comment at 2:30 about Farrell needing to sort his neck out...

  • drg
    10:19 PM 19/06/2013

    Shoulda coulda woulda. Hundreds of rugby matches SHOULD have been won by the more deserving team. You can't pin a bet on the Lions series on the more deserving team, Lions may win the series 3-0 and not deserve ANY of the victories...

    Tah's was not a second string side, missing a few players but it was by no means second string... unless AAC is a second teamer now?

    I do agree that the management of the Lions has been poor. It appears there is about 20-25 "perfect" players that Gatland has in his mind. God help him if he loses a bunch of them in the first test because it well and truly doesn't look like he has a back up plan....call Shane again???

  • technomouse
    6:48 PM 19/06/2013

    Farrell got 2/2, but yeah I think Hogg got 2/4. But equally the Brumbies missed a few penalties.

  • juggernauter
    6:44 PM 19/06/2013

    Sorry forgot to mention the Reds match... which should have been won by the Reds for sure!

  • juggernauter
    6:41 PM 19/06/2013

    Best threw three not straight balls at the lineout, which in just too much and surely ruled him out for the tests. He's good on the loose but if you can't get the set pieces to work then you just can't play for the Lions in a Test match.

    And those who say that this was an "inexperienced" Lions side... The had over 500 caps between them, versus less than 30 from the Brumbies. They were all quality individual players (the best from the UK & Ireland) so to say that it was an experimental Lions outfit is true, as they hadn't played together, but heck this is the bloody Lions, they are expected to perform.

    On a side note, I think this match revealed the mediocre squad management Gats has been doing, and the whole "bring Shane for one match" thing really questions the seriousness of the Lions. Oh how he must be missin Jonny. Besides, the Lions got some momentum playing against mediocre opposition (I mena, combined country?really) and on the two tough matches they've played they almost came short to a second string Tahs and lost to the Brumbies... I think Australia will win 2-1.

    Special mention for Matt Toomua, what a player. Robbie if you wanted a playmaker that tackles like a samoan then look no further.

    Cheers

  • gerrymentle
    5:27 PM 19/06/2013

    Some dreadful mistakes made all round though I guess it has to all start from the pack. Rory Best's continual line out malfunction not only turned over ball but gave the Brumbies growing confidence and the Lions shrinking confidence which you could see in Ben Youngs' reaction to Best's squint throw ins. OK a scratch second string Lions side with a load of guys just off the plane against a really motivated second string Brumbies side who've been together for 18 months, it was always going to be close. Real questions is if Gats really just wanted the win. He should have brought on replacements at half time. Both Farrell and Murray can't kick up and unders. Anyways it'll be a different team on Saturday so hopefully Australia do build up some belief, it'll make it a great match.

  • matt
    4:19 PM 19/06/2013

    I think Ben Youngs had another poor game, and Rory Best conclusively showed why he was left out of the original squad.
    Williams and Wade weren't great, but I would love to see anyone get off a 36 hour trip and play well the next afternoon.
    I thought Zebo had another fantastic outing and could well be involved again saturday

  • matt
    4:17 PM 19/06/2013

    Did you read his post as saying conversATions?

  • drg
    4:13 PM 19/06/2013

    Oh yeh, from what I remember hearing, the lineout throwing from Best was horrific... This is why I questioned why so many people felt he should be picked in the first instance, I was shot down by people saying "did you see who he had to throw to?" etc, again I did not see this match so maybe throwing to 9 ft Richie Gray was difficult, but regardless, if it isn't straight then wtf are you doing playing hooker?

  • mattyj
    3:53 PM 19/06/2013

    too many england players starting

  • mrjmmlc
    3:27 PM 19/06/2013

    completly agree! muray kept kicking badly!
    shame hogg didnt have a chance to do well and push for selection. he might have lost it to farel

  • benjaj
    3:19 PM 19/06/2013

    Youngs and Hogg struggled to find solutions, and the Brumbies overwhelmingly dominated the rucks.
    A lot of players messed their chance of being selected against Australia (Wade, Barritt, Best, Gray, Evans, Murray...).

    I don't undestand why Murray kept kicking the ball at the end, with less than 5 minutes on the clock. And he made a terrible mistake by isolating himself at the end.

  • drg
    2:25 PM 19/06/2013

    Well... I bet Gatlands glad he brought in his secret 36 year old weapon now...

    Congratulations to the Brumbies. Looks like Mogg is a brilliant kicker.

    Terrible defence from Wade in that first try..

    I didn't see the match, I hear Hogg got 2 from 4, and I think Farrell also 2 from 4? Also heard the forwards were abysmal leading to troubled play from the backs with no stable platform? Fair assessment?

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