ACT Brumbies ended New South Wales Waratahs’ four-match winning streak with a convincing 21-11 win in their Super 14 rugby clash yesterday.
The Brumbies scored two tries to one as they first absorbed early pressure from the visiting Waratahs then turned the screw in the second half as they ran out comfortable winners.
The home side led 6-3 at half-time after the Waratahs failed to capitalise on a wealth of possession and territory over the first 40 minutes.
PHOTO: AP
It was a different story in the second period as the Brumbies overran a dispirited New South Wales and piled on 15 points before the Waratahs scored a late consolation try.
“I thought we showed a lot of character,” Brumbies coach Andy Friend told reporters.
“You could sense they were ready for a battle ... I was really proud of them,” he said.
“All credit to the Brumbies. They were very good at the breakdown and I thought that we probably got out-enthused and out-muscled there,” said Waratahs coach Chris Hickey.
“We were up for the game. Our preparation was good. Obviously the Brumbies’ preparation was very good,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Auckland Blues remain in touch with the Super 14 leaders after thrashing the bottom-placed Central Cheetahs 46-12 yesterday.
The Blues ran in six tries to two, with their talented backline regularly finding holes in the defense of the South African side at North Harbour Stadium.
If not for a large number of handling errors, the Blues could have run up an even bigger score, although they were aided by numerous missed tackles by the Cheetahs, who have yet to record their first win after five games.
The match featured the 100th appearance for the Blues by flanker Justin Collins.
Doping fears prevented former US Open champion Emma Raducanu from treating insect bites on the eve of the Australian Open, she said, with players increasingly wary about ingesting contaminated substances. The British player was speaking in the wake of high-profile doping cases involving Iga Swiatak and Jannik Sinner. “I would say all of us are probably quite sensitive to what we take on board, what we use,” the 22-year-old said, recalling an incident on Friday. “I got really badly bitten by, I don’t know what, like ants, mosquitoes, something. I’m allergic, I guess,” she added. The bites “flared up and swelled up really a
The NHL postponed the Los Angeles Kings’ home game against the Calgary Flames on Wednesday with several massive wildfires burning across the greater Los Angeles area. The Kings and Flames were scheduled to play on Wednesday night at the Kings’ downtown arena. The NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers were scheduled to host the Charlotte Hornets in the same arena last night. “Our hearts are with our entire Los Angeles community,” the Kings said in a statement. “We appreciate the hard working first responders who are diligently working to contain the fire and protect our community. We appreciate the league’s support in keeping our
TWO IN A WEEK: Despite an undefeated start to the year playing alongside Jiang Xinyu of China, Wu Fang-hsien is to play the Australian Open with a Russian partner Taiwan’s Wu Fang-hsien yesterday triumphed at the Hobart International, winning the women’s doubles title at the US$275,094 outdoor hard-court tournament, while McCartney Kessler lifted the trophy in the women’s singles. Fourth-ranked Wu and partner Jiang Xinyu of China took 1 hour, 15 minutes to defeat Romania’s Monica Niculescu and Fanny Stollar of Hungary, 6-1, 7-6 (8/6) at the Hobart International Tennis Centre, their second title in a week. Wu and Jiang on Sunday won the women’s doubles title at the ASB Classic in Auckland, beating Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic and Sabrina Santamaria of the US. Their winning ways continued in Australia as they stretched
EL CLASSICO: La Liga champions Real Madrid would face Barcelona in the Super Cup final tomorrow. Barca secured their final spot after a 2-0 win over Bilbao on Wednesday Real Madrid would chase a record-equaling 14th Spanish Super Cup title in the final against Barcelona after second-half goals by Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo helped them to a 3-0 win over Mallorca in the semi-finals on Thursday. England midfielder Bellingham broke the deadlock after the hour mark with a low shot into the middle of the goal before Mallorca defender Martin Valjent’s own goal doubled the lead in stoppage time followed by a Rodrygo strike from close range. Spanish champions Real are to play Barcelona for the trophy tomorrow after goals by Gavi and Lamine Yamal earned Barca a 2-0 win over
RSS