KEY POINTS:
Brumbies 21 Chiefs 15
No prizes for guessing where the emphasis will be at the Chiefs' training this week.
Having spotted the Brumbies an 18-5 lead with 16 minutes to go, the Chiefs could still have pinched the points but in terms of the relative composure shown by the two teams they couldn't argue with the outcome.
Too many passes were spilled, opportunities were created but not taken and where the Brumbies kicked four out of seven shots at goal, Stephen Donald was pointless from four attempts.
The Brumbies didn't grasp all their chances either, but they generally looked more composed, recycled cleverly and had key figures operating smartly up front and in the backline.
The Chiefs will play poorer teams than the Brumbies this season and they will take heart from the fact that, even though they were well short of their full capabilities, with some sharper decision-making at critical moments, they could have won it.
"We weren't effective enough in executing what we wanted to do," coach Ian Foster said.
When the coaching staff review the game, positives won't be hard to find.
The scrum was efficient; Niva Ta'auso was a blockbusting figure in midfield on attack and defence; Sosene Anesi was outstanding on one wing and Lelia Masaga, upon arriving as a replacement near the end on the other flank, scored a sizzling try; Steven Bates was a herculean figure, a reliable, and often lone, lineout collector and he saved a certain try with a tackle on lumbering prop Guy Shepherdson 4m from the line.
But the Chiefs were left to play catchup courtesy of a powerful Brumbies start in which Stirling Mortlock, tough and formidable at centre, took advantage of a shortage of defensive numbers to charge through for the first try, convert and kick a penalty. Up front, the Brumbies had lock Mark Chisholm, No 8 Stephen Hoiles and veteran George Smith all making substantial contributions.
Out the back, there was ageless George Gregan, the kicking of first five-eighth Julian Huxley, who frequently carved off huge chucks of turf, and Mortlock leading the way.
Their ability to strike swiftly and clinically was best exemplified in the leadup to wing Clyde Rathbone's try shortly after halftime.
When Huxley walloped a 53m effort over to put the Brumbies 18-5 up - the five coming courtesy of an outstanding Anesi try, beating four defenders in a confined space - the die seemed cast.
But hope was revived when Anesi intercepted Jone Tawake's pass with a two-man overlap beckoning around the Chiefs' 22 and scooted away.
Then Masaga sped 15m to the line from a near-standing start 7min from the finish and it looked all set for a rousing finale.
However, referee Mark Lawrence ended that, penalising Liam Messam for not releasing at a ruck in front of the Chiefs' posts three minutes from the end.
Luckless debutant fullback Dwayne Sweeney, who earlier missed a couple of tackles, dropped a ball stone cold in a threatening position; Donald probably turned right when left was a better option in a similarly good spot with the first line of defence breached.
As Foster admitted, a bit of sharp thinking would have brought a better dividend at times.
Lawrence had a big part in the match. He showed, in Chiefs captain Jono Gibbes' words, "zero tolerance" round the breakdown.
Three players had sat out 10 minutes before the interval, rival opensiders Smith and Marty Holah, both for repeated infringements, and Gibbes for a reflex high tackle on Mark Gerrard.
The Chiefs hope to have key lock Keith Robinson and boom centre Richard Kahui fit for the visit by the Hurricanes to Hamilton next Friday. But they'll reflect on a missed opportunity. "There's lots to take from it," Foster said. "We can't get too down with it. We'll take it on the chin and move on."
