The obituaries that have been written on the Waratahs-Brumbies rivalry are premature.
The Waratahs snapped a 13-match losing streak against the Brumbies on Saturday night with a 28-23 win at Allianz Stadium.
In the first half, the Waratahs surprised everyone with their attacking rugby. Three tries came via Teddy Wilson, the excellent Triston Reilly and Rob Leota. Attack coach Mike Catt’s fingerprints were all over their expansive game.
The game was billed as an audition for Wallabies players ahead of the British and Irish Lions series and also potentially a late-stage interview for the Australian coaching role. The Brumbies’ Stephen Larkham faced the Waratahs Dan McKellar, his former protege in Canberra.
McKellar was once tasked by Larkham with creating the best maul in Super Rugby at the Brumbies. In the second half, like Victor Frankenstein, he was forced to power the monster he had created.
Joey Walton celebrates a try against the Brumbies.Credit: Getty Images
Allan Alaalatoa scored the visitors’ first try, which was followed by Luke Reimer crashing over from an attacking rolling maul that NSW were unable to stop.
So often this season, Max Jorgensen has been the Waratahs spark in attack and he’s thriving under the huge shadow cast by Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s signing. Jorgensen was the architect of Joey Walton’s try, chipping through the ball and kicking it through at pace for the centre to dive onto.
Within two minutes, Brumbies’ replacement five-eighth Jack Debreczeni took a huge gamble, booting a cross-field kick that winger Andy Muirhead took perfectly. The conversion wasn’t successful and it gave the Waratahs a five-point lead.
Through grim determination that hung on to Brumbies bodies and the lead, the losing streak was finally snapped.
