Brumbies kept nerve after tough start: McKellar

Sat, Mar 17, 2018, 11:00 PM
AAP
by AAP
The Brumbies captain and coach Christian Lealiifano and Dan McKellar fronted the media after their first match at home for the 2018 Super Rugby Season. The home side put a solid display over the Sharks.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar insists his team had never panicked after their tough start to Super Rugby.

The Brumbies were the only team in the Australian Conference not to have had a home game during their first two games, let alone three.

And despite starting with a win in Japan against the Sunwolves, they endured losing trips to Brisbane and Melbourne.

But the Brumbies finally broke a two-match losing streak on Saturday night against the Sharks 24-17 in Canberra - their first home game at GIO Stadium for the season.

"There was a bit of an overreaction (outside of the club) with how we performed the first couple of weeks and I think people underestimate the travel that goes into this competition," McKellar said.

The Brumbies coach said he also would rethink his pre-season scheduling. His side played a trial game in Queensland after the Brisbane 10s before the Tokyo trip.

"We played a trial on the Sunshine Coast after the Brisbane 10s, so we've learnt plenty around scheduling because we were away for eight or nine days before the season even started," he added.

"We haven't been at home for the first round of the competition for a couple of years now - we were over at Christchurch last year.

"If SANZAAR are thinking about what the draw is going to be for 2019, a start at home would be lovely."

After taking care of the Sharks, there is now an opportunity for the Brumbies to apply more pressure at the top of the conference.

They have four of their next five games in Canberra following next week's bye.

The Brumbies' next game is a grudge match with the NSW Waratahs on March 31, a night when star flanker David Pocock is expected to make his eagerly awaited return from injury.

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