Rugby: Fired-up Brumbies topple Waratahs

BRUMBIES 21
WARATAHS 11

Second-half tries to winger Adam Ashley-Cooper and prop Ben Alexander secured the Brumbies victory in a torrid encounter at Canberra Stadium.

The win came at a price, though. Skipper Stephen Hoiles limped off with a potentially serious knee injury and several teammates were left battered and bruised.

The Waratahs had their own casualty ward - replacement hooker Adam Freier lasted only minutes before trudging off with a possible broken collarbone and other players were damaged in bruising encounters on and off the ball.

The win was the Brumbies third from four starts and pushed them close to the top four.

They were ahead 6-3 at halftime - two penalty goals to fullback Mark Gerrard against one from four attempts by Waratahs five-eighth Kurtley Beale.

The Brumbies scored the first try of the match five minutes into the second half when Stirling Mortlock put Ashley-Cooper over in the right corner.

Beale's boot edged NSW back to within five points, but the Brumbies extended the lead again when Alexander burrowed over.

His try, though, belonged to side-stepping centre Tyrone Smith, who stood up Timana Tahu and then bumped off Beale in a surging run.

A third Gerrard penalty goal sealed the deal before the Waratahs grabbed a consolation try through winger Lachie Turner three minutes from time.

- AAP