The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium.
The home side’s forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies’ five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night.
The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club.
No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition.
The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives paid dividends for the Brumbies.
After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies.
Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes’ line.
With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout.
Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break.
EDITOR’S PICKS:
- Why Patrick Odongo Okong’o feels indebted
- List of rugby prospects from high school
- Colman Were keen to redefine Kenyan rugby’s physical edge
- Follow Scrummage Africa on Facebook
The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan.
Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes.
The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal the pill and settle the victory.
The defending champion Blues’ last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018.
Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season.
Brumbies 35 (Tries: Pollard 2, Wright, Allalatoa, Slipper; Cons: Lolesio 5) def Hurricanes 28 (Tries: Love, Fineanganofo, Sullivan, Tosi; Cons: Love 4)
Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Tuaina Taii Tualima, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Tom Hooper, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Lington Ieli, 18 Feao Fotuaika, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Harrison Goddard, 22 Declan Meredith, 23 Ollie Sapsford.
Hurricanes: 15 Ruben Love, 14 Bailyn Sullivan, 13 Billy Proctor (co-captain), 12 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 11 Fatafehi Fineanganofo, 10 Brett Cameron, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-captain), 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Caleb Delany, 4 Zach Gallagher, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Raymond Tuputupu, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Pasilio Tosi, 19 Hugo Plummer, 20 Brad Shields (co-captain), 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Ngatungane Punivai, 23 Callum Harkin
