Replacement halfback Ryan Lonergan was the hero for the Brumbies as he slotted a last-minute penalty kick at goal to give them a close 21-20 win over the Blues in their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific clash last night at Eden Park in Auckland.
It was a bitter loss for the Blues as well after star play maker Beauden Barrett was injured and had to be pulled out of the match at the stroke of halftime.
The home side led throughout the match but had their hearts broken in the last minute of the game as the Brumbies broke a 12-year drought in Auckland with that late penalty by Lonergan.
The Blues led 20-10 at the break but the Brumbies came back stronger in the second half and kept the Blues scoreless while they scored 11 unanswered points for the historic win.
Beauden Barrett scored the first points of the match in the 9th minute with a penalty, giving the Blues a 3-0 lead before Declan Meredith replied in the 12th minute with a penalty to level the score at 3-all.
Barrett then scored a converted try in the 16th minute to help the Blues gain a 10-3 lead before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa replied with a converted try to level the score again at 10-all.
Angus Ta’avao and Rieko Ioane both scored unconverted tries in the 35th and 37th minute respectively to give the Blues a 20-10 heading into the break.
Meredith then scored a further 8 points in the second half for the Brumbies through a penalty and an unconverted try before Lonergan slotted the winning penalty in the 79th minute to give them the much-needed win.
The win has seen them move up to 5th place and are now locked on 9 points along with the Reds, the Highlanders and the Western Force.
The Chiefs currently lead the table with 13 points and will take on the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua at 3.35pm today at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
In other matches this weekend, Moana Pasifika will play the Hurricanes at 6.05 this evening, the Waratahs will play the Force at 8.35 tonight, and the Crusaders will take on the Reds at 2.35pm tomorrow.
