Smith’s century celebrated with bonus-point win

[no.8]

The CA Brumbies have marked interim captain George Smith’s 100th Super Rugby match with a 29-23 win over the Cheetahs at Canberra Stadium tonight.

After trailing 13-12 at the break, the home side laid on two second-half five-pointers to seal the four-tries-to-two win and take five competition points from the Good Friday encounter.

CA Brumbies Head Coach Laurie Fisher said claiming maximum points from the match was important.

“It was crucial for us to get four tries against a side that has defended well in most of their games this year,” he said. “They struggled a bit last week but they had their best side on the park today and came in with a good opportunity to win the game. So to win with a bonus point is good for us.

“It was a hard-fought tussle and we struggled for continuity in the first half. The breakdown’s a battle in all games and we probably struggled in a few weeks but we were pleased to get some flow in the second half, score a couple of nice tries and put some pressure on them but there’s a lot of work to do still.”

After conceding an early penalty goal to Conrad Barnard, the home side registered the first try in the 12th minute when barnstorming lock Mark Chisholm received the ball in the CA Brumbies’ backline, bumped passed JW Jonker and out-paced Cheetahs fullback Hennie Daniller over 30 metres to the line.

However, Mark Gerrard’s conversion and the side’s 7-3 lead was short-lived with Cheetahs winger Jongi Nokwe showing good feet and an excellent turn of speed to score in the corner midway through the term.

Man-of-the-match Peter Playford, whose incisive running down the right-hand wing ignited several try-scoring opportunities for his side, dived across for his third try of the season in the 33rd minute following some quick hands from No.8 Stephen Hoiles, only to see Barnard knock over a penalty goal on the 40-minute mark to reclaim the half-time advantage.

Having barely returned from the dressing rooms, the CA Brumbies mounted an early attacking raid in the second stanza but were unable to take the lead until a Gerrard penalty goal in the 51st minute.

A yellow card to in-form Cheetahs scrumhalf Falie Oelschig five minutes later sparked a 14-point, 10-minute burst from the Canberra side, guaranteeing them the bonus point. First, inside centre Tyrone Smith capitalised on some fancy footwork in evading five defenders and swan diving under the posts, before replacement Julian Salvi gifted fellow back-rower Mitchell Chapman his first try in CA Brumbies colours.

The Cheetahs scored a late try to scrumhalf Tewis de Bruyn but were forced to settle for a bonus-point loss with penalty goal to Jacques-Louis Potgieter on full time.

The CA Brumbies head into the bye week with the ledger squared with three wins and three losses, with captain Stirling Mortlock and utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper expected to be available for the side’s next fixture at Canberra Stadium against the Chiefs in a fortnight’s time (Friday, 4 April).

MATCH DETAILS
CA Brumbies 29 (Mark Chisholm, Peter Playford, Tyrone Smith, Mitchell Chapman tries; Mark Gerrard 3/4 conversions, 1/2 penalty goal) defeated Cheetahs 23 (Jonge Nokwe, Tewis de Bruyn tries; Barnard 1/1 conversions, 2/4 penalty goal, Jacques-Louis Potgieter 1/1 conversion, 1/1 penalty goal) at Canberra Stadium, Canberra.
Referee: Steve Walsh (NZ)
Half time: Cheetahs 13-12

Crowd: 14,076

CA Brumbies
1. Nic Henderson
2. Huia Edmonds
3. Salesi Ma’afu
4. Peter Kimlin
5. Mark Chisholm
6. Mitchell Chapman
7. George Smith (c)
8. Stephen Hoiles
9. Joshua Holmes
10. Christian Lealiifano
11. Francis Fainifo
12. Tyrone Smith
13. Sanualio Afeaki
14. Peter Playford
15. Mark Gerrard

Reserves
16. John Ulugia
17. Guy Shepherdson
18. Alister Campbell
19. Julian Salvi
20. Patrick Phibbs
21. Afusipa Taumoepeau
22. Matt Toomua

Replacements
21. Afusipa Taumoepeau replaced 14. Peter Playford (23rd minute – blood)
17. Guy Shepherdson replaced 3. Salesi Ma’afu (26th minute)
14. Peter Playford replaced 21. Afusipa Taumoepeau (27th minute – blood return)
20. Patrick Phibbs replaced 9. Joshua Holmes (49th minute)
19. Julian Salvi replaced 8. Stephen Hoiles (54th minute)
18. Alister Campbell replaced 4. Peter Kimlin (54th minute)
16. John Ulugia replaced 2. Huia Edmonds (66th minute)
21. Afusipa Taumoepeau replaced 11. Francis Fainifo (72nd minute)
22. Matt Toomua replaced 15. Mark Gerrard (73rd minute)

Cheetahs
1. Wian du Preez
2. Adrian Strauss
3. Kobus Calldo
4. Rory Duncan (c)
5. Barend Pieterse
6. Heinrich Brussouw
7. Darron Nell
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Falie Oelschig
10. Conrad Barnard
11. Jongi Nokwe
12. Meyer Bosman
13. JW Jonker
14. Eddie Fredericks
15. Hennie Daniller

Reserves
16. Richardt Strauss
17. CJ van der Linde
18. David de Villiers
19. Kabamba Floors
20. Tewis de Bruyn
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. Hendrik Meyer

Replacements
<Not recorded>

Yellow Card

9. Falie Oelschig (56th minute)


NEXT GAME:
Investec Super 14 Week Eight

CA Brumbies v Chiefs

Canberra Stadium, Canberra

Friday, 4 April 2008

[TOCC]

i watched the game, overall it was a pretty average game, although the Brumbies did do well to win the game in the end.

I was suprised at how well Tyrone Smith played, and Lealifano is a better 5/8 then i thought he was, he did show moments of inexperience throughout the match though.

[Evie]

It was a very scrappy game... I was surprised by the amount of penalties and only one sin bin.
The bad news is Gerrard is out for probably 3 weeks.... good news that Mortlock should be back for the game following the bye. The bye is just what the boys need I think, after the big win against the Reds they were on top of the world and jsut a few short weeks later they are making silly little mistakes.
Lealiifano has his moments of brilliance and I think having Mortlock's expericence around him in a few weeks will only help him improve, which he is doing. we are definitely in a interesting era, with 3 of the 4 teams all with very young flyhalves.

[TOCC]

I thought Gerrard was cleared of any severe injure?

[Evie]

I thought Gerrard was cleared of any severe injure?

It was first first thought to be quiet serious but now it is thought that cramps made it seem worse than it is, thankfully.