Grace Kemp on the charge for the Brumbies.
It might have taken them four rounds of the 2023 Super W competition, but Harden product Grace Kemp and her ACT Brumbies have their first win of the season and could yet play finals after sneaking by the Melbourne Rebels in a thriller at GIO Stadium.
The hosts moved inside the top four with Friday night’s 30-23 win ahead of a crunch encounter with the Western Force in Perth next weekend which will likely determine their fate.
The Brumbies scored the first three tries of the contest and looked poised for an easy win but had to lift to see off a strong Rebels fightback, going behind early in the second half and not hitting the front again until a 76th-minute penalty from Faitala Moleka.
Winger and Wagga product Biola Dawa sealed the win minutes later, capping a drive that started with her own brilliant intercept by getting the ball back and crossing in the corner.
Bench halfback Jay Huriwai had pulled the Brumbies back to 23-22 down with a try, bouncing off several Rebel players and crashing over from close range, but a missed conversion left them still needing to go and win the game.
Brumbies captain Siokapesi Palu said winning in front of their home crowd was a special moment for the side.
“It’s very exciting … we’re all cheering and what better moment to actually win a home game,” Palu told Stan Sport.
“We know the Rebels do come out with a game and they’re very physical and they’re quite quick off the mark, and so we just had to make sure we matched that.”
To’omalatai led the way for the Rebels with bustling carries up the middle of the park, while Kemp at No. 8 did much the same for the Brumbies, keeping them rolling forward when all looked lost in the second half.
Leading into the fifth and final round of the 2023 Super W competition, Kemp and her Brumbies will need to travel to Western Australia and defeat the Force at NIB Stadium on Saturday night if they want to take part in the post-season.
Kick-off: 5.15 pm
