Rugby: Brumbies lucky in Perth but star in doubt

Francis Fainifo of the Brumbies struggles to get away from a Force tackle. Photo / Getty Images

The Brumbies escaped with a crucial first-up victory against the Force on Friday night but doubts still remain over the fitness of star flanker Rocky Elsom heading into next week's clash with the Bulls.

Elsom was a late withdrawal from the 24-15 win in Perth after failing a fitness test on a niggling hamstring injury.

While Brumbies coach Andy Friend expects first five-eighths Matt Giteau (quad) to make the trip to Pretoria, Elsom is touch and go.

"I'm probably more confident on Giteau, Rocky's still got another flight and that's what stirred up the injury for him," Friend said.

"After the run [before the match on Friday] he was only about 80 per cent. Up until he jumped on the plane and came over here he was 100 per cent."

While the Brumbies have a star-studded list to cover for their injuries, the Force are struggling to cope with their walking wounded.

Veteran playmaker Mark Bartholomeusz, the Force's main man at No 10 after Andre Pretorius suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, will miss the next two to three weeks with a neck complaint.

Sam Harris filled in at pivot in Bartholomeusz's absence against the Brumbies but put in a nightmare showing to leave coach John Mitchell assessing other options ahead of next week's trip to face the Hurricanes.

To compound the Force's woes, winger Cameron Shepherd failed to front up against the Brumbies after suffering a quad strain during the warm-up and No 8 Richard Brown was forced off nursing an injured right shoulder.

Mitchell said he was unsure how serious the injuries to Brown and Shepherd were but confirmed the first-five role would be re-assessed after Harris' performance.

"We really felt for Sammy tonight, nothing went right for Sammy, poor bugger," Mitchell said. "We just have to review the game and look at our resources and see which is the best fix going into the next game."

Fullback James O'Connor played a starring role against the Brumbies, with his five penalties and pin-point kicking game keeping the Force in the contest after the visitors ran in two tries.

But his penalty miss in the 70th minute, with the Force trailing 17-15, cost the home side dearly as substitute Brumbies hooker Huia Edmonds crossed two minutes later to secure the win.

Brumbies skipper Stephen Hoiles admitted his team struggled to adapt to the new law interpretations.

"It was frustrating because there were so many penalties," Hoiles said. "They were all our own problems. It wasn't as if we were getting the short straw there.

Brumbies centre Stirling Mortlock nailed three conversions and one penalty to become the first player to pass 1000 points in the history of Super rugby.

- AAP