ACT Brumbies prop James Slipper marked his 200th Super Rugby game with a try to help his team end a 26-year losing streak in their 50-24 win over the Crusaders in Christchurch on Sunday.
The Brumbies led 19-14 at halftime before they ran away with the game, adding another 31 points while conceding just 10.
Slipper proved the surprise tryscorer in the 29th minute when he received an Andy Muirhead, according to the Super Rugby Pacific website.
It was his 10th try in the competition since his debut for Queensland Reds in 2010 as he became just the second player to reach 200-games; he is now just two matches behind former All Black Wyatt Crockett (202 matches) for most games played.
The Brumbies won their first match since 2000 against the Crusaders in Christchurch and follows last-season’s win over the Blues at Auckland’s Eden Park, ending that 12-year losing record.
The Brumbies put their foot on the throttle in the second half to score five tries in the second half including three in the last 10 minutes.
Despite welcoming back All Blacks prop Tamaiti Williams, Fletcher Newell and Will Jordan, the hosts coughed up 14 turnovers.
“(The win) is up there as one of the best,” Slipper told TV commentator after the match.
“We knocked off the Blues at Eden Park last year and that’s a bit of a hoodoo for us. Like most Aussie teams, (we’ve) come here, we put up a fight, but we never get the chocolates.
“So, for today to come away with a result, and the way it ended up is a big result for us.”
BRUMBIES FEAT
Coach Stephen Larkham was the flyhalf the last time the Brumbies last won in Christchurch with half of their current squad not even born yet.
“Super proud,” captain Ryan Lonergan said.
“We actually didn’t speak about (the drought) too much in the build-up throughout the week, and we just stuck to what we needed to get done,” captain Ryan Lonergan said post-match.
“I think playing arvo footy here probably helped us a little bit, dry track probably suited us a little bit more. and then super stoked to be able to do it for big Jimmy on his 200th.”
In Perth on Saturday, the Blues came back from a 14-17 deficit at halftime against the Western Force to score a 42-32 win.
In Dunedin, the Waikato-based Chiefs held on for a 26-23 win over the Highlanders after the hosts scored two late unconverted tries to almost snatch a win.
In Friday’s games, former Crusader Ioane Maonanu scored two tries on debut as NSW defeated the Fijian Drua 36-13 in Sydney.
And Wellington came off a first round bye to open their season with a 52-10 win over Moana Pasifika.
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Ireland added to England’s woes with a 42-21 win at Twickenham, London, to keep their title hopes alive.
France defeated Italy 33-8 to keep their favouritism for the title while Scotland just held out Wales 26-23 with a try five minutes from fulltime.
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