Prop Ben Alexander’s second try of the night with seven minutes left clinched ACT Brumbies’ 32-12 bonus-point win over Queensland in Super 14 rugby, continuing a historical hex over the Reds at Canberra Stadium.
The Reds, enjoying a resurgent season to be in semifinal contention after finishing near or at the bottom of the standings for the past five years, lost for the ninth time in a row at Canberra.
The Brumbies, still in slim running for the last four, have beaten the Reds 15 out of 16 times in Super rugby.
It was the third time this season that Alexander has scored two tries in a match.
The four-try win — two in each half — pulled the Brumbies to within two points of a potential semifinal spot with two rounds remaining. The Brumbies haven’t made the playoffs since 2004, when they last won the Super title.
“If you work hard and you get off the ground quickly, you put yourself in with opportunities,” captain Stephen Hoiles said. “It’s nice to get four tries. We just knew we had to put them under pressure. It was a massive defensive effort.”
Brumbies lock Mark Chisholm crossed for a try in the 13th minute and Alexander 10 minutes later, each coming after Hoiles opted for attacking scrums on the Queensland line rather than penalty goals.
Wallabies flyhalf Matt Giteau converted both.
Quade Cooper put Queensland on the board with penalties in the 26th and 33rd minutes. After the Reds defended for 11 ACT phases to end the 40 minutes, Giteau pushed a penalty wide in stoppage time that could have given the home side a 17-6 lead at the break.
The Reds lost both of their second rowers with injuries in the opening 25 minutes.
Adam Byrnes limped off with an apparent ankle injury, while Rob Simmons broke a cheekbone. The injuries left the Queensland lineout in disarray, with the Brumbies stealing a series of Reds throws.
Two more Cooper penalties after the halftime break narrowed the deficit to two points, but the Brumbies put the match away with further tries to halfback Josh Valentine in the 56th and Alexander’s in the 73rd.
Reds captain Will Genia said his side “lacked a bit of spark ... energy in the beginning.”
“I think we struggled all game with the lineouts, and losing our second rowers didn’t help,” Genia said. “But as you can see by the score, we were outplayed.”
Queensland plays in Wellington next weekend before a home match against Otago. The Brumbies play Otago at home next weekend before traveling to Christchurch, New Zealand, for a final round-robin match against the seven-time champion Canterbury Crusaders.
■HURRICANES V CHIEFS
Reuters, AUCKLAND
The Wellington Hurricanes scored two tries in the final 10 minutes to retain a slim chance of reaching the Super 14 semi-finals with a gutsy 33-27 victory over the Waikato Chiefs yesterday.
The Hurricanes moved into sixth position on 32 points, one behind the fifth-placed New South Wales Waratahs, and five ahead of the ACT Brumbies.
All Blacks center Ma’a Nonu scored a 40m try after Hosea Gear had counter-attacked from deep to finally give his side the lead 28-27 with six minutes remaining, while Neemia Tialata crossed after the hooter had sounded to secure a bonus point.
“It showed the team we have been and to come back and get that bonus point try at the end, it might be the most important try of his [Tialata] life,” Hurricanes captain Andrew Hore said in a televised interview.
The Hurricanes’ performance swung between brilliant and bumbling with first half tries to fullback Cory Jane and Nonu coming after patient and sustained pressure created the gaps needed to burst through.
The home team, however, also dropped passes, failed to commit players at rucks and continuously turned the ball over, and gifted the Chiefs two of their four first half tries.
Chiefs center Jackson Willison pounced on a dropped pass by Aaron Cruden, who appeared to be looking downfield for attacking options instead of at the ball, to score the first try of the match.
Later in the half, a surprised Liam Messam was passed the ball by Wellington’s Rodney So’oialo as a defensive scrum twisted.
Chiefs prop Sona Taumalolo and fullback Tim Nanai-Williams also crossed for the visitors to give them a 24-15 lead at the break after Callum Bruce had slotted just two conversions.
Cruden, who had kicked a first half conversion and penalty, added his second penalty just after the break before Bruce restored the nine-point lead with his second penalty.
Replacement scrumhalf Piri Weepu pulled the Hurricanes back to within six points with a penalty midway through the half to set the home side up for their late surge.
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