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Waratahs bid farewell to Brumbies losing streak with thrilling win

Jonathan Drennan
Updated ,first published
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Waratahs snap 13 match losing streak against Brumbies

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The obituaries that have been written on the Waratahs-Brumbies rivalry are premature.

The Waratahs snapped a 13-match losing streak against the Brumbies on Saturday night with a 28-23 win at Allianz Stadium.

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In the first half, the Waratahs surprised everyone with their attacking rugby. Three tries came via Teddy Wilson, the excellent Triston Reilly and Rob Leota. Attack coach Mike Catt’s fingerprints were all over their expansive game.

The game was billed as an audition for Wallabies players ahead of the British and Irish Lions series and also potentially a late-stage interview for the Australian coaching role. The Brumbies’ Stephen Larkham faced the Waratahs Dan McKellar, his former protege in Canberra.

The Waratahs win the losing streak is broken!

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What a finish. The Waratahs were hanging on for dear life with the Brumbies stretching them to their limits in the closing stages but they have snapped the 13-match losing streak.

The Waratahs have not won at home against the Brumbies in 10 years and what a way to do it in a game that lived up to expectations and then some.

The apprentice Dan McKellar has beaten his former master Stephen Larkham.

A huge effort from the Waratahs and their own unbeaten home record tonight continues.

Lachlan Shaw of the Brumbies runs with the ballGetty Images

Brumbies hit back

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Jack Debreczeni hits a crossfield kick out of hope and it finds Andy Muirhead for a try. Debreczeni misses the conversion so the lead stays at five.

What an advert for the game.

Waratahs 28 Brumbies 23 (after 77 minutes)

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Joey Walton gets a try for Waratahs

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Max Jorgensen magic. He chips up the ball, kicks it on the run, gets blocked chasing, but centre Joey Walton is there to dive onto it.

Tane Edmed has looked really sharp since he has come on and gets a crucial conversion.

This is going to be a crazy few minutes.

Waratahs 28 Brumbies 18 (after 75 minutes)

Luke Reimer gets another Brumbies try

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Dan McKellar was tasked by Stephen Larkham to create the best maul in world rugby. Now McKellar has to deal with Frankenstein’s monster as Luke Reimer crashes over.

There are just three points in this game. It’s almost been all Brumbies in this second half. The Waratahs have come back before, but they will need a big response now.

Three points is not going to be enough to hang on.

Waratahs 21 Brumbies 18 (70 minutes)

James Slipper runs into contact for the BrumbiesGetty Images

Biggest crowd of the season

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The ticket stubs have been counted and we have comfortably the biggest crowd of the season with 20,572 fans in Allianz Stadium.

Great news for the Waratahs ticket office, but the players on the field are under huge pressure and have not made the most of the yellow-card advantage with any points and now Tom Hooper returns to the field.

This is going to the wire.

Waratahs 21 Brumbies 11

Angus Bell of the Waratahs contests the ball Getty Images
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Yellow card to Tom Hooper

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For professional wrestling fans amongst you, Tom Hooper did a great impression of WWE superstar Kurt Angle’s famed suplex on Daniel Botha and gets yellow carded for his trouble.

The Waratahs were under huge pressure and this could well give them a much-needed opening.

The Waratahs had the option of a straightforward three-points, they opted to go for the seven points but coughed up the ball. A costly miss, we will see how costly at full-time.

This game remains on a knifeedge.

Waratahs 21 Brumbies 11

Len Ikitau is takcled for the BrumbiesGetty Images

Allan Alaalatoa crashes over the Brumbies

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Allan Alaalatoa finally gets the Brumbies first try after sustained pressure. It’s been all Brumbies so far this half and the Waratahs have been really starved of possession as the visitors take a far narrower approach to the game.

The Waratahs will need to lift to withstand this fightback.

Waratahs 21 Brumbies 11

Brumbies have a try ruled out for a knock on

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The Brumbies were always going to respond and after grinding through 20 phases, eventually the Waratahs’ defence is stretched to its thinnest fibres and Tom Wright runs through unopposed to score his side’s first try.

After a long review, Noah Lolesio is adjusted to have knocked on the ball in the build up.The Brumbies are furious.

Taniela Tupou is off for the Waratahs after a solid 50 minutes of work.

Waratahs 21 Brumbies 6

Langi Gleeson of the Waratahs runs into contactGetty Images
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The half

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There were 2000 children tonight in the stadium from junior clubs all over NSW and what a game they have in front of them.

The game started slow and steady with the Brumbies opting to take the pragmatic approach with two early penalties through Noah Lolesio.

So far, the script was as most people expected. Then the Waratahs completely ripped it up, three tries through Teddy Wilson, Triston Reilly and Rob Leota have given a 15-point lead at halftime.

There is huge physicality in this contest with both sides trading shots. The Brumbies may have 13 successive wins stretching all the way back to 2018, but this rivalry is far from dead.

Triston Reilly scores for the WaratahsGetty Images
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