In the hours before the Brumbies took to the Eden Park pitch against the Blues for their semifinal on Saturday, there was one of those typical Auckland downpours that may have got the visitors thinking: is tonight our night?
Would the rain – and forget the proverbial stair rails coming down, this was the whole staircase, carpet and all – change the complexion of the match? Would it nullify the many Blues attacking weapons while promoting their own lineout drive expertise?
Well, yes and no, as it turns out, because this was a funny old game – the Blues in total control in the first half and the Brumbies coming home with a wet sail after the break to perhaps present the Crusaders with a few ideas for the final against the Blues at Eden Park next Saturday.
Mother Nature had a real crack and probably made it more difficult for the Blues, who were in survival mode after the sinbinning of hooker Kurt Eklund and flanker Adrian Choat, the latter for a high tackle.
Two Lachlan Lonergan tries in the second half brought the Brumbies back into it 20-19 after they trailed 20-7 at halftime, and the Blues had to withstand a torrid final two minutes which included a long-range charged-down dropped goal attempt by Noah Lolesio. Incredibly, it was prop Ofa Tuungafasi who intervened.
It was tough on the Brumbies, who were physically shattered at full time – upset in the knowledge that they probably left their run too late, but it was exhilarating for the neutral while it lasted.
It proved they were worthy finalists and may leave some Blues’ supporters wondering whether their team’s luck can hold out for one more victory in a remarkable season.
The Blues coped with an early setback too – second-five Irae Simone charging straight through fullback Stephen Perofeta (who was defending in the front line), like the No.15 wasn’t there, for a converted try – but they hung tough. Just.
They got a foothold through two Perofeta penalties and from then on appeared to be playing downhill such was their ability to get on the front foot.
In between, in the first half, the Brumbies had a chance via their infamous lineout drive but came up short, poor old loose forward Tom Hooper turned a simple catch into a shambolic sideshow and went off injured, halfback Nic White and his fullback Tom Banks collided in a blue-on-blue nightmare, and hooker Folau Fainga’a’s throw into a promising attacking lineout was crooked.
Meanwhile, the Blues were just doing Blues things. Midfielder Rieko Ioane had the Brumbies on tenterhooks every time he attacked an outside channel, loose forward Tom Robinson was omnipresent and Beauden Barrett, who hit the crossbar with a dropped goal attempt from 45m out to bring the first half to a close, controlled things as he does.
Hoskins Sotutu and Mark Telea powered over.
The crowd of 26,900, apparently unperturbed the damp and predictions of further rain, were beginning to enjoy themselves. Coincidentally, the halftime score of 20-7 was the same it was for the Crusaders v Chiefs in the other semifinal in Christchurch on Friday.
And yet, the halftime break favoured only the visitors and Eklund’s yellow card for a tip tackle was just one example of their difficulties. Choat's, with five minutes left, put them under real pressure.
The visitors finally made good on their lineout drive as the match neared the fourth quarter, a try for Lonergan which narrowed the gap to 20-12.
Barrett almost cancelled that out when scampering and sliding over the line, but failed to ground the ball, and the Brumbies attacked for the remainder of the game.
Lonergan's second gave the visitors real hope but it wasn't to be, although the Brumbies had good claims for a penalty in front of the posts in the final frantic moments.
It almost goes without saying after that second half in which the Blues remained scoreless and the Brumbies poured on 12 points that Crusaders coach Scott Robertson will have seen areas that his team can exploit.
The last time the Blues won the overall championship was in 2003. Their opponents were the Crusaders. We have the final the competition deserves.
Blues 20 (Hoskins Sotutu, Mark Telea tries; Stephen Perofeta 2 pens, 2 cons)
Brumbies 19 (Irae Simone, Lachlan Lonergan 2 tries; Noah Lolesio 2 cons)
Halftime: 20-7
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