Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham isn’t worried about leaving Perth without a bonus point, after a 31-14 win over the Force.
An 80th minute Josh Mann-Rea try was the Brumbies’ fourth of the night, which would have handed them a bonus point under the 2015 system.
This season a three-try advantage is needed over your opposition to clinch a bonus point and with the Force scoring two tries, the Brumbies fell one short.
It’s a kink that some players are still yet to fully commit to memory but Larkham said his first concern was always on the win.
“I think there was a call from some of the boys at the end saying, ‘We get this try, we’ve got a bonus point so I think there’s still a bit of confusion around that,” he said.
”The goal for us each week is to take four points away.
“We can probably look at every game last year and say we could’ve scored more tries and it’s the same this year.
“We could’ve probably scored more tries but the main thing is getting that win.”
While the Brumbies have scored at least four tries in every match this season, Larkham said it wasn’t a try at all costs mentality, when it came to decision making on the field.
“That’s the decision Squeak makes on the momentum of the game,” he said.
“The beauty of this team is we’re able to play different styles of footy.”
Larkham was quick to shell praise on to the Force for their increased versatility too.
“Foles (Force coach Michael Foley) has been talking to me about that new attacking game they’ve got and they showed a bit of that tonight,” he said.
“They’re a much better side this year than they were last year.
“We probably didn’t see that in the first two games, in reviewing their first two games we didn’t see it but tonight we certainly saw the full brunt of the Force.”
Brumbies breakdown maestro David Pocock was back to his best against his former side after working his way into the season, including a trademark gushing of blood.
The Brumbies head to South Africa next week to take on the Stormers.
