Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham will take plenty away from his side’s defensive performance. For most of the first half, they were under the pump.
“I think the most pleasing part was to keep this side at zero points; a side with attacking flair,” Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa told Sky Sport.
“There was a lot of pride shown out there by our boys and I was really proud of the effort.”
It felt like Moana Pasifika spent the majority of the first 30 minutes playing under penalty advantage, with Brumbies lock Tom Hooper sin-binned in the 20th minute for repeated infringements.
But despite having the majority of possession and territory, Moana Pasifika couldn’t find a way through the Brumbies’ defences.
The hosts looked to have hit the front through a beautiful move at the lineout, which saw midfielder Julian Savea take the ball over the back and punch through the Brumbies’ line before sending Fine Inisi over the try line.
However, the play was ruled out as Savea was ruled to have gotten his timing wrong and was offside.
With the ball popping out of players’ hands like a wet bar of soap in contact, it felt likely they would go into halftime with no points on the board.
That was until the Brumbies found some space on a counter attack, which saw Andy Muirhead put a kick ahead into space. It was likely a kick ahead for himself, but it was fellow winger Corey Toole who got there first to give the Brumbies a 5-0 halftime lead.
The second half has been where Moana Pasifika have excelled this season, but it was the Brumbies who finished their opportunities.
Two tries to replacement hooker Billy Pollard from the back of lineout drives gave the visitors a comfortable lead, before Toole finished in the corner after a lovely skip pass from fullback Tom Wright.
Wright found himself finishing the game in the sin bin for playing the halfback at the ruck, but his side continued to defend their line and keep their hosts from scoring.
Moana Pasifika 0
Brumbies 24 (Corey Toole 2, Billy Pollard 2 tries; Declan Meredith 2 cons)
HT: 0-5
