It was a tough afternoon for the ACT Brumbies in Melbourne as Stephen Larkham's side slumped to a convincing 34-point defeat to the Waikato Chiefs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
There were plenty of lessons and a few bright spots from the clash, these are the key takeaways from Sunday's loss.
The good: Toole strikes again
The ACT flyer hasn't missed a beat with two outstanding performances to start his second season in Super Rugby.
Corey Toole crossed for a double in last week's victory over the Melbourne Rebels and added another two tries to his tally in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs.
The winger received few opportunities to run in the comprehensive defeat, however, he made the most when they did arise.
![Corey Toole was one of few bright spots for the ACT Brumbies in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. Picture by Elesa Kurtz Corey Toole was one of few bright spots for the ACT Brumbies in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. Picture by Elesa Kurtz](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GzY3iczng7SLWqVgHSV78t/410a54b3-ddb2-491e-99e6-44633e0bf8a0.jpg/r0_97_4835_2815_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
For the second-straight week, he produced a piece of individual brilliance to score from a chip and chase before showcasing his skill in tight windows to cross in the corner in the second half.
Should the performances continue, it's only a matter of time before new Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt comes calling with a gold jersey.
The bad: Brumbies lose physical battle
The Brumbies pack has prided itself on its ability to win the battle up front against any opponent.
On Sunday, however, they were blown away by a dominant Chiefs forward unit. The Waikato pack set the tone from the opening whistle and guaranteed quick ball for their backs to run free.
The New Zealanders swarmed in defence, shutting down the Brumbies ball carriers before they could get going and slowing down the ball at the breakdown.
ACT coach Stephen Larkham lamented the attitude of his players, conceding the lack of physicality came down to their mindset throughout the match.
Veteran prop James Slipper said his side was punished by a high-quality opponent.
"It was a disappointing performance from us," he told Stan Sport. "If you don't win the collision and you turn the ball over that much to a quality team, you're going to get found out and we found that out today."