Rob Valetini shines in gutsy semi-final defeat : PlanetRugby

Following their closely fought 19-6 defeat to the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final, here is how we rated the Brumbies in defeat.

15 Tom Wright: His errors – including a blunder that almost cost the Brumbies a try at the end of the first half with a terrible goal-line dropout – overshadow the good he did on the pitch. Outside of that dropout, he kicked well out of hand and sparked a few threatening attacks that his side failed to capitalise on. 5

14 Andy Muirhead: The speedster was outstanding on defence for the visitors snuffing out several threatening Chiefs attacks. Even in the match’s latter stages, he made it incredibly difficult for the hosts to score. He had a few good moments with the ball, but without it, he shone. 7

Midfield struggles

13 Len Ikitau: The Chiefs‘ exceptional defence limited Ikitau‘s influence on the match, with the conditions not conducive to expansive, attacking rugby. He was wrapped up quickly when he did get the ball and only got one pass away. Defensively, he was sound. 6

12 Tamati Tua: He got far more touches of the ball than his midfield partner and did have some success on attack as he could shift it on. But much like Ikitau, the Chiefs’ defence was just too good for Tua to make his mark. 6

11 Ollie Sapsford: Quieter than his fellow winger and not nearly as impressive defensively. 5

10 Jack Debreczeni: Engaged in the kicking duel well in the first half, with neither side really coming out on top. He missed his one shot at goal before being forced off with a head knock. 5

9 Nic White: Feisty as always, with a few run-ins with Brodie Retallick, but that didn’t detract from another solid showing from the experienced scrum-half. His passing and kicking were pinpoint, but he just couldn’t unlock the resolute Chiefs defence while on the pitch. 6

Big shifts

8 Pete Samu: Eddie Jones will be hoping the Brumbies star will be fit for the Rugby Championship after another standout performance for the Canberra side. He regularly got over the advantage line in a furious head-to-head duel with Luke Jacobson. 6

7 Tom Hooper: Conditions called for a few big shifts in the pack, and the Brumbies got it from the lock-cum-back-row. His work rate was off the charts as he hammered into tackles, carries and the breakdown. 7

6 Rob Valetini: Another action-packed game from the ever-improving loose forward who contributed heavily on both sides of the ball. He is becoming an incredibly consistent performer and did not disappoint in what proved to be his final Super Rugby Pacific game of the year. 8

Tight five

5 Cadeyrn Neville: A handy shift from the veteran lock who made 17 tackles in his 69 minutes. He ran the lineout relatively well with the Chiefs pressurising the Brumbies’ throw and managed to nick one off the New Zealanders. 7

4 Nick Frost: Another Brumby forward that got through a ton of work throughout the game but was accompanied by several errors, including over six missed tackles. Overall, a solid performance, fronting up to a powerful Chiefs pack. 6

3 Sefo Kautai: He missed four tackles and made five, conceded a penalty, and although he held up his side of the scrum for most of the game, it was a largely underwhelming outing. 4

2 Lachlan Lonergan: A few hiccups in the early knockings of the game, but that was not entirely his fault. Incredibly busy on defence, making an impressive 18 tackles in under an hour – the most by a player in that period. 7 

1 James Slipper: The 34-year-old remains a key player for club and country and was on top of his game again today. The Brumbies’ scrum went pear-shaped when he was off the pitch, but they held their own when he was on it. He made his mark in all facets of the game, and it was yet another fine showing from the veteran. 7

Replacements: With the game in the balance, the respective benches were always going to have a big say on the final result, but unfortunately for the Brumbies, the Chiefs’ eight landed the final blow. Rhys Van Nek and Luke Reimer were the standouts, while Noah Lolesio had more lows than highs. 4

READ MORE: Chiefs win arm wrestle against the Brumbies to reach Super Rugby Pacific final