Brumbies' game plan went pear-shaped, says Dan McKellar following loss to Blues

The side sits 0-3 with two matches remaining in the Trans-Tasman Super Rugby series, following their 38-10 loss to the Blues on Saturday night at Eden Park.

McKellar provided insight into the difference in performance for his ACT side during the two halves.

He said the group agreed at half-time what was working in their attack was a direct line, however, they diverted from it immediately.

"We were pretty calm at half-time. We were well and truly in the game and there was a lot to like about what we were doing in the first half," he said.

"We spoke about how our attack, when it was nice and direct, would put them under pressure and that was working well for us. First scrum out of half-time, we tried to play out the back and execute and I think we spent the next 75 per cent of the next 40 minutes in our 22.

"We went away from it immediately after half-time, which is frustrating."

The side led the game 10-7 in the 36^th minute, before a penalty goal and a try in the space of four minutes began to derail its campaign.

Soon the side was staring down 30 missed tackles, five rucks lost and 45 per cent of possession throughout the match.

"It went pear-shaped after about 38-and-a-half minutes, didn't it?" McKellar acknowledged.

"We got to 10-7 and then conceded that penalty goal and then conceded a really soft try just on half-time."

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Despite the loss, McKellar said it was not all doom and gloom as they made their way back to Canberra for their first home game of the series.

He said the upcoming fixtures against the Highlanders and the Hurricanes would be tough.

"We want to get back home and get back to GIO Stadium, in front of our fans and finish the season off well," he said.

"The sun comes up tomorrow, you just get on with it, don't you? You can't sit around feeling sorry for yourself. It's not going to fix anything.

"We've lost a few games of footy against really good opposition, away from home. We'll pick ourselves up and go again."

Questions have been circulating over the series, as New Zealand sides continue to dominate their Australian counterparts.

The first win for an Australian side in the series went to the Reds on Saturday night, after they beat the Chiefs 40-34.

However, the other score lines in round three have been less favourable for Australian rugby union, with the Western Force losing 43-6, the Waratahs losing 54-28 and the Rebels losing 42-27.

So far the five AU teams have secured six points between them in three rounds. Although it is not something McKellar said should be shied away from.

"There's a gap there at the moment, which probably wasn't there at the beginning of 2020. We were over here [in New Zealand] and had success," he said.

"We were a team who put our hands up and said, 'Let's play all five New Zealand teams, let's not mix and match'. We won't be shying away from the challenge, we just need to get better."

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