The Brumbies have broken through for their first Super Rugby win for the season, overcoming the Western Force 25-17 in Canberra.
After narrow losses in the first two rounds, the Brumbies kept their superb record against the Force intact on Friday night in front of 8647 fans at GIO Stadium.
While the Force threatened to take hold of the game, the Brumbies worked their way back into the contest after giving up 17 unanswered points.
The Force were not able to make their early possession count with a Chance Peni try being disallowed before the in-form winger was denied a certain five-pointer when Luke Morahan failed to hit him with a regulation pass.
Brumbies winger Henry Speight crossed against the run of play, breaking through the Force's defence to open the scoring after 14 minutes.
While his goalkicking was wayward, Brumbies fullback Wharenui Hawera's fancy footwork was superb, helping him to score his first Super Rugby try to give the Brumbies a 10-0 lead.
The Force hit back on right on halftime with a well-worked rolling maul allowing Heath Tessman to go in for a try.
Jono Lance converted to bring them within three points at the break and the West Australians picked up where they left off in the second half.
A sweeping long ball from Ross Haylett-Petty found Peni in an acre of space to take the ball over for a try.
After missing his first three kicks, the decision to let Hawera go for a penalty goal was met with boos from the home crowd, but he silenced the doubters to narrow the deficit to one point.
The visitors temporarily arrested the Brumbies' charge with a penalty goal but the home side doubled down in search of their first win of the year.
Hawera's footwork created an opportunity for Kyle Godwin to score his first try for the Brumbies against his former club and the five-eighth kicked truly, taking the Brumbies to a 20-17 lead.
The Brumbies' scrummaging was superb throughout the night and a rolling maul allowed Robbie Abel to put the icing on the cake with a try in the dying stages.
Force coach David Wessels said he had to take the blame for not getting his discipline message across.
"While there will certainly be a number of individuals that will have to front up in the next couple of days, first and foremost, that performance is on me," Wessels said.
"The senior players in particular are being pretty tough on themselves on their performance, as they should be."
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said his side had learned a lot from the two close defeats which started the season.
"It was an emotional rollercoaster through that game but much better composure at the end and superb execution to finish the game off the way we wanted to finish it off," Larkham said.
"We've certainly learned some lessons over the last couple of weeks.
"We're not getting ahead of ourselves but we'll certainly enjoy that victory because it's been a long time coming."
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