The Brumbies have ended a 12 year drought at Eden Park after staging an incredible second-half comeback to defeat last year’s Super Rugby champions, the Blues, 21-20 on Friday night.
After keeping the Blues pointless in the second half, the Brumbies scored 11 unanswered points and took the lead via a Ryan Lonergan penalty in the final minute to end their hoodoo at the famous venue.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking,” said Lonergan, after being asked about the opportunity to step up and boot the Brumbies to an important win on the road after a difficult opening month to start the competition.
“We worked so hard throughout the whole game. The forwards knew we were in for a massive day against this quality Blues pack, and the least I could do was kick it over at the end.”
The Blues weren’t helped by the loss of Beauden Barrett at half-time to a hand injury, but Vern Cotter will be livid after his side delivered their worst 40 minutes under his watch since taking over the Super Rugby franchise last year.
Some pin-point box kicks put the home side under pressure and the Blues’ backs couldn’t handle the heat, with Cole Forbes and replacement playmaker Harry Plummer guilty of several telling drops.
With the Blues unable to get their hands on the ball, the visitors got their tails up and then went to town on the home side’s breakdown with Luke Reimer delivering another special cameo off the bench.
But it wasn’t an individual effort that saw the Brumbies turn it around, with the entire squad playing their part in the famous win.
“It means quite a lot,” Lonergan added. “Bernie (Stephen Larkham) brought that up at half-time how long it’s been since we won here and it just shows how good this tour was for us, we came over, we’ve had a tough start, and to be able to finish off a little tour like that is a real positive.”
Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa, who delivered one of his best performances in Super Rugby in years, said it was a “special” win.
“We knew it was going to take a special effort from everyone and I thought we delivered that,” he said.
“We thought in the first half we were doing really well, especially around the ruck, we thought they scored a couple of easy tries, but that’s what they get with quality backs, but the boys dug deep and it took 80 minutes.”
Replacement prop Blake Schoupp celebrates after the Brumbies took down the Blues at Eden Park on March 07, 2025. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)
Blues skipper Patrick Tuipulotu bemoaned his side’s slow start to the second half and inability to do the little things well.
“I think our set-piece in the last quarter let us down again,” he said. “We weren’t able to diffuse the high ball, a lot of bobbled ball.
“To be up at half-time and come out in the second half and let them back in like that is very disappointing.”