ACT Brumbies defeat NSW Waratahs in entertaining Super Rugby season opener

The team kicked off the club legend's second reign as coach with a 31-25 win over the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.

The result took the franchise's winning streak over their fierce rivals to 10 and ensured veteran Nic White was able to celebrate his 100th appearance in style.

The match was an entertaining, fast-paced contest with plenty of free-flowing rugby in front of 25,076 fans. While not quite the 30,000 crowd officials had hoped for, support is sure to grow with more matches of this quality.

"It wasn't a perfect game for either team but both teams found a way to get on to the next job," Larkham said. "Every time we got out to a bit of a lead, they pegged it back and it was quite intense at the end there.

"They looked quite dangerous, we were holding on at the end of the game, it was tight there for a bit.

"It was a very entertaining game, it was an amazing atmosphere and one the people that turned up today would've certainly got their money's worth. They certainly would've enjoyed the finish to that game."

There was just one intervention from the television match official, the TMO stepping in to rule Corey Toole had stepped out and overturn a Brumbies try early in the second half.

The former sevens star was not to be denied later in the contest, finishing off an attacking shift to the left in an impressive debut.

While there were a handful of scrum penalties, there were few resets and breaks between play appeared to be limited.

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The attacking mindset of both teams contributed to the spectacle and there were multiple linebreaks and counter attacks.

Despite the open nature of the contest, it remained a physical affair and the early stages of the first half were particularly torrid.

The Brumbies had their noses in front through much of the contest, however the Waratahs kept coming and set up a fascinating final 20 minutes when they cut the deficit to six.

A Noah Lolesio penalty with less than six minutes to play took the scores to 31-22 and gave the visitors some added breathing space.

The Waratahs scored a penalty after the final siren to secure a losing bonus point, however it was too little too late.

The match finished three tries apiece, goal kicking and discipline the difference in the end.

The Brumbies were dealt an early blow when Lachlan Lonergan was ruled out on the day of the match. He''s expected to be fit for next week's clash with the Auckland Blues.

In came John Ulugia, 12 years after he last played for the franchise.

Having retired from elite rugby, the 37-year-old joined the Brumbies pathways staff in the off-season.

Billy Pollard's pre-season injury saw Ulugia added to the squad as an emergency hooker and it took just four minutes for the veteran to be thrown into the fray when starting hooker Connal McInerney suffered a head knock.

The Wallaby failed his head injury assessment and Ulugia commenced a lengthy stint in the middle.

The Brumbies struck first courtesy of a piece of Tom Wright individual brilliance, the fullback slicing through the Waratahs defensive line before setting up Ryan Lonergan for the first points of the season.

The hosts hit back soon after, youngster Max Jorgensen ensuring Friday night will be one to remember for a long time.

The debutant brushed off a pair of tackles to score under the posts and level the scores at 7-7. Jorgensen added a second in the second half and showed why multiple rugby league clubs chased his signature last year.

The two teams traded penalty goals and looked destined to head to the sheds locked at 10-10 before Lonergan produced one of the most audacious plays you'll see this season.

With the Brumbies handed a penalty five metres out from the Waratahs line, the halfback caught the opposition napping and kicked the ball across to Andy Muirhead standing alone on the wing. The Brumby crossed untouched, much to the shock and confusion of the Sydney crowd.

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