Orange’s Richard Turnbull coached the Brumbies Provincial side as they played a curtain-raiser to the Super Rugby match between the Brumbies and Western Force last Friday.

The Brumbies Provincial side was up 35-3 at half-time and held on for a 47-20 victory at Canberra Stadium.

“We played very well. In the second half we had a lull of about 17 or 18 minutes where I put on a lot of reserve players and we were on the back foot,” Turnbull explained.

“Then I brought some other players back on and we were on the front foot again.

“We scored seven tries to their three.”

The former Orange Emus coach said the Australian Police team was tough, but his players performed well.

“The Police had some very big guys,” he said. 

“We were more mobile and we were quicker. Our defence was really good.

“They played well as a team.”

A couple of players in particular stood out for the Brumbies Provincial side, including former Canterbury Crusaders star Marika Vunibaka, and Fijian under 21s representative Dan Rawaqa.

Vunibaka played in the centres and Rawaqa was at fullback, and Turnbull said both players showed their class.

Turnbull was given the opportunity to mentor the representative side after he coached the Southern Inland Rugby Union team to the Brumbies Provincial Championship crown in June.

The Brumbies Provincial side had a brief preparation with only one training run together the morning of their game.

Turnbull shares his time between Orange and Wagga Wagga and said he occasionally did  some guest coaching for the Orange Emus.