The Plus500 Brumbies have gone down 40-19 against the Waikato Chiefs at FMG Stadium on a tough night against the Super Rugby Aotearoa finalists in Hamilton last night, 22 May. Â
Tries from Len Ikitau, Bayley Kuenzle and Rob Valetini were not enough to slow down the home side who were outstanding from the opening exchanges.
Tupou Vaa’i was the first to strike for the Chiefs, Ikitau responding minutes later to level, though Luke Jacobson would add another for the home side soon after.
Jacobson dived over from close range not long after, the score 19-5 at the break.
The Chiefs came out firing again in the second period, Damian McKenzie taking a hard line over the chalk for the first try after the interval.
The Brumbies continued to press, but the passes would just not stick, as the Chiefs piled on the pressure at set-piece and at the breakdown.
An Alex Nankivell try under the posts made it 33-5 with half an hour to play, leaving a mountain to climb for the Brumbies.
Kuenzle’s try gave the contest life, as the Brumbies searched for openings to turn the tide, but the Chiefs were not done.
A breakout try from All Blacks centre Anton Lienert-Brown sealed the victory for the home side, and though the Brumbies fought to the end, Valetini pushing over the line for the final try of the game, the night and the result belonged to the Chiefs.
The Brumbies will look to bounce back against the Blues at Eden Park next Saturday, before returning to Canberra for two home games in a row to finish the 2021 Harvey Norman Super Rugby Trans-Tasman season. Â
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Plus500 Brumbies 19 (T: Ikitau, Kuenzle, Valetini; C: Lolesio 2)Â def by Chiefs 40Â (T: Jacobson 2, Vaa’i; McKenzie, Nankivell, Lienert-Brown; C: McKenzie 5).
The Plus500 Brumbies will play the Blues in Round Three of Harvey Norman Super Rugby Trans-Tasman at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday 29 May at 5.05pm AEST. Live and ad free on Stan Sport.
