The ACT Brumbies kept their Super 14 rugby semi-final hopes alive when they upset defending champions the Canterbury Crusaders 15-6 in Canberra yesterday.
In a match where no tries were scored, ACT flyhalf Stephen Larkham kicked a drop goal with two minutes remaining to make the game safe for the Brumbies.
Brumbies stalwarts Larkham, George Gregan and Jeremy Paul were making their last appearances in Canberra before moving to Europe and the ACT used the emotion of the occasion to overpower the competition leaders.
PHOTO: EPA
"There was a bit of emotion out there ... but everyone was up for it -- everyone was really focused," Gregan said.
Before kick-off a grandstand at Canberra Stadium was named after Gregan and Larkham, and the two veterans showed why they are considered among the greatest players in Australian rugby history.
They controlled the match and totally outplayed counterparts Kevin Senio and Daniel Carter.
PHOTO: EPA
After going behind Brumbies came back to lead 9-3 at half-time and they kept the advantage for the remainder of the match.
The two teams spent the first half sizing each other up like two heavyweight champions, with neither prepared to give an inch.
The wet conditions didn't help either side as a slippery ball and heavy ground led to a host of turnovers and dropped balls.
The visitors opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Daniel Carter kicked a straightforward penalty, which was answered two minutes later by Stirling Mortlock.
The score stayed at 3-3 until the 28th minute when Crusaders flanker Richie McCaw was shown the yellow card for a deliberate knock-down.
Mortlock converted to make it 6-3 and that looked likely to be the half-time score until McCaw, who had only been back on the field for a minute, was penalized at the breakdown just on the Brumbies' side of halfway.
Fullback Julian Huxley stepped up and banged it over from 53m to give the Brumbies a 9-3 lead at the break.
Carter pulled it back to 9-6 20 minutes into the second half, but Mortlock restored the six-point advantage 10 minutes later.
With two minutes left on the clock and with the ACT deep in attack, Larkham calmly slotted a drop goal to put the Brumbies out by nine and make the game safe.
Bulls charge to win
Fourie du Preez scored a try and set up another to lead the Bulls to a 40-19 victory over the Auckland Blues on Friday, moving them equal on points with the New Zealand side for second place in the Super 14 with a round remaining.
Du Preez pounced on a loose ball after Sam Tuitupou was unable to control a lineout and sprinted 40m for his converted try in the 67th minute that gave the Bulls a 30-12 lead and complete control.
Du Preez's try, followed by a drop goal by flyhalf Derrick Hougaard and then another try by Heinie Adams, secured the victory.
The Blues capitalized on a flurry of early Bulls errors, and flyhalf Isa Nacewa kicked over three penalties in the first nine minutes to give the visitors a 9-0 lead.
The Bulls slowly asserted themselves as Hougaard kicked two penalties to reduce the deficit to three.
The Bulls threatened the Blues tryline midway through the second quarter, and eventually flank Wikus van Heerden touched down.
On the stroke of half-time, Du Preez ran down the right touchline, cut inside and sent flanker Pedrie Wannenburg over to give the Bulls a 20-9 half-time lead.
Nacewa and Hougaard traded penalties before Du Preez's game-breaking try.
Adams' effort with four minutes remaining finished a counter launched by van der Westhuyzen.
The Blues continued their attack, however, and, after the final hooter sounded, Troy Flavell scored a consolation try.
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