Jesse Mogg (C) had a strong game for the Brumbies at fullback. Source: Hagen Hopkins / Getty Images
SIX days ago, he was in a Perth hospital fearing his career was over after breaking his neck. For a third time.
On Friday night, however, Pat McCabe not only took the field for the Brumbies but inspired them to a stunning victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington.
McCabe turned in arguably his best ever game for the Brumbies in their eight-point win, running for a staggering 258 metres as his team picked up a tough, four-try win on the road.
It was a remarkable effort from the headgear-wearing centre, who was only a late inclusion in the starting side following a late fitness test.
The rugby world held their breath last week after McCabe was taken to hospital for scans mid-game against the Force, after reporting stiffness in his neck.
Happily, it was only a muscle strain and McCabe was able to take his place in the side who'd already been gutted by the news of David Pocock's second season-ending knee injury.
The Brumbies pledged they'd get a win for Pocock and McCabe was outstanding in leading the way.
Numerous incisive breaks, and a standard bullocking role in attack and defence, from the 25-year-old helped the Brumbies rally from 13-3 down after 30 minutes and shoot home for a bonus point win.
In an head-shaking set of FoxSports stats, McCabe tallied up 22 runs, 14 tackle busts, 4 offloads and 258 metres carried – almost half his entire team's total.
"He was outstanding, and to do that off the back of last week when he thought he'd injured his neck again, to play like that tonight that says a lot about his character," Brumbies captain Ben Mowen said.
Pocock sent good luck texts from his Brisbane hospital bed to the team but they didn't need luck as a committed ball-in-hand approach, and a wasteful Canes side, secured victory.
It was their fourth in five games in New Zealand, and second in a row in the traditionally tricky Cake Tin in Wellington; and proved to early naysayers that the 2013 runners-up shouldn't be written off this year.
Hesitant to use the ball early, the Brumbies allowed the Hurricanes to begin the stronger, scoring two early penalties.
A sizzling McCabe linebreak in the 24th minute allowed the Australians to camp on the Kiwis' line, but twice bombed tries with a held-up drive and Scott Fardy dropping the pill over the line.
Nic White snagged a penalty but the Canes responded with an opportunistic try to TJ Perenara, that saw Cory Jane inches away from being out before several loose passes were thrown back inside.
Another star performer, Jesse Mogg, kick-started the Brumbies' revival. A slicing run through the Canes' defence off a 5-metre scrum saw him score, and minutes later another sharp break – with a chip-and-chase thrown in – saw numbers open up on the far left and Robbie Coleman scored right on halftime.
More McCabe magic after oranges saw the Brumbies return to the Canes' line, and a double cut-out by White skipped the decoy Henry Speight and sent Tevita Kuridrani in for a third try.
The home side kicked away far too much ball, and when they didn't kick they lost it; coughing up 32 handling errors and turnovers.
Locky McCaffrey put the game away with a try in the 72nd minute, set up by – guess who? – a long run by McCabe in the lead-up, and an assist pass for the try.
Mowen said the performance wasn't perfect, but it was good enough.
"You can't be unhappy about an effort like that," he said.
It was McCabe's night but the spectre of Pocock wasn't far away.
"He is an important character in our club, and whenever a guy is hurt like that, you want to put in a performance like that one for then," Mowen said.
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