The facts are the Brumbies lost two players to the sin-bin at the death – Darcy Swain and Henry Stowers – and with 15 vs 13 even the gallant Brumbies had no hope of holding out the advancing red tide in front of a heaving 41,637 strong Suncorp Stadium crowd.<\/p>\n
It left Brumbies coach Dan McKellar – a Queenslander – with head in hands at the start of the press conference.<\/p>\n
The only place rugby fans can watch every match is Stan Sport. Start your free sport trial now!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n "Just shattered, it's heartbreaking," McKellar said.<\/p>\n The obvious question was what he made of said yellow cards, dished out by referee Nic Berry.<\/p>\n The unpredictable part was how McKellar would respond.<\/p>\n Take the bait or bite his tongue?<\/p>\n "I can't say too much to be honest," McKellar said.<\/p>\n "Just as long as everyone's accountable for their performance out there tonight.<\/p>\n "I know the players are and the coaches are so that's my only hope… I thought when we held the guy up, there was no advantage but then there was a penalty, so that's another crack. 13 blokes, in the end it just because incredibly tough for us to hold them out and our boys were exhausted. An interesting game to watch."<\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Thor's heartbreaking Mother's Day interview<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Reds steal Super Rugby crown in wild finish<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n READ MORE:<\/strong> Crusaders win controversial Super Rugby final<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/LordLaurie58\/status\/1391019589048225799?s=20<\/a>https:\/\/twitter.com\/paulcullystuff\/status\/1390999012187131908?s=20<\/a><\/p>\n The 2020 champion Brumbies, somehow, must dust themselves off from the 19-16 sting and prepare for a daunting trip across the Tasman to tackle the Aotearoa champion Crusaders next weekend.<\/p>\n And that's just the start of it as Super Rugby trans-Tasman tees off.<\/p>\n "I don't think there's many tougher tours \u2013 Crusaders, Chiefs, Auckland, all in New Zealand," McKellar said.<\/p>\n "They don't make it easy for us… I'm not sure who will be refereeing the games in New Zealand, whether Australian refs will travel. Everyone gets reviewed, we review our program every week\u2026 and as long as everyone's doing it.<\/p>\n "We're not blaming anyone. It was a great night for Australian rugby."<\/p>\n Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa also explained his conversations with Berry in those frenetic final moments.<\/p>\n "I was just asking him to go back and have a look at the TMO of Nella's (Taniela Tupou) carry," Alaalatoa said.<\/p>\n "A lot of us thought he'd knocked it on but he came and said the TMO looked at it and it was fine. He's made that call and it is what it is."<\/p>\n In the winner's circle, meanwhile, sat Brad Thorn.<\/p>\n It is a familiar position for him, but less so as a coach.<\/p>\n The Reds mentor has dragged Queensland rugby back off the canvas and nothing has come easy.<\/p>\n "It's tough sitting behind the glass," the dual code legend said.<\/p>\n "The day of the game I do a gym workout because you know you're not going to get that release. As a player you could hit something, a physical player, unload that energy.<\/p>\n "But that coach's box, far out. I don't know how long I can do this for.<\/p>\n "No wonder there are so many bald coaches."<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/RugbyOnNine\/status\/1390957904858165249?s=20<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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