Highlanders walloped in Canberra

11.50pm

The Brumbies booted their coaching dramas aside to maintain their break at the top of the Super 12 rugby ladder and seriously dent the Highlanders semifinals chances with a seven try, 50-18 romp at Canberra Stadium in Canberra tonight.

The competition leaders were not at their clinical best but bounced back from last weekend's loss in Christchurch to head into the bye in first place on 30 points, provisionally 11 points clear of the Crusaders, Stormers and Sharks.

The Highlanders also have next week off but dropped to 10th having been overtaken by the Blues.

Showing no signs of stress following the mid-week announcement of coach David Nucifora's end of season departure the Brumbies conceded an early intercept try to fullback Nick Evans but had the bonus point banked at the end of a helter skelter opening half that saw both teams play with a man down.

Abrasive Brumbies blindside Owen Finegan was sent to the sinbin by South African referee Mark Lawrence for a professional foul at the breakdown as the Highlanders threatened in the 25th minute but the visitors were reduced to 14 themselves two minutes later.

Fijian wing Aisea Tuilevu joined Finegan on the sideline after Lawrence spotted him tackle George Smith by pulling his dreadlocks as the Brumbies turned defence into attack.

A bizarre passage that ended with Tuilevu's yellow card summed up the Highlanders inability to finish off try scoring opportunities.

The Highlanders had mauled over the line in Finegan's absence but as a try seemed inevitable mobile Brumbies lock Radike Samo stole the ball and charged clear.

Evans gave the visitors a perfect start when he grabbed a Stirling Mortlock pass to sprint 85m to the uprights in the fifth minute but Mark Chisholm launched the Brumbies response soon after.

Chisholm was put over out wide after good lead up work from Joe Roff, Stephen Larkham and Matt Giteau, who drew in two defenders before releasing a one-handed pass to Samo who found his second row teammate unmarked.

Roff and Tony Brown traded penalties before Mortlock atoned for his stray pass in the 24th minute when he backed into the defence and spun over through the attempted tackle of Tom Donnelly.

Wallabies hooker Jeremy Paul guaranteed the bonus point with a first half double. He rounded off a classic 80m breakout from a Highlanders turnover on the half hour and grabbed his second in more conventional circumstances, burrowing over from a close range lineout drive.

Trailing 13-29 at the turn, the Highlanders tried to regroup but were consistently undone by handling errors despite firm and fine conditions.

The visitors exerted pressure for the opening 10 minutes but came up short with second five-eighth Ryan Nicholas' knock-on over the line symptomatic of the the Highlanders woes.

Nicholas and midfield partner Seilala Mapusua made several telling breaks but the Brumbies held firm, holding the Highlanders to a consolation score to captain Anton Oliver in the 62nd minute.

The Brumbies took time to get rolling after the break but the arrival of benched Wallabies captain George Gregan in the 57th minute -- for solid understudy Matt Henjak -- sparked a scoring spree.

An inside ball put No 8 Scott Fava over after seven phases pushed the Brumbies into the 30s then the Highlanders were again penalised for a costly turnover when Roff ran 60m down the left flank before placing a cheeky cross field kick for Larkham to score under the posts.

Roff, who registered his 100th point with a 15th minute penalty, completed the try scoring with nine minutes to play when he broke through some weak defence.

Brumbies 50 (Jeremy Paul 2, Mark Chisholm, Stirling Mortlock, Scott Fava, Stephen Larkham, Joe Roff tries; Roff pen 6 con)

Highlanders 18 (Nick Evans, Anton Oliver tries; Tony Brown 2 pen con)

- NZPA

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