Hurricanes v Brumbies: Brumbies book semifinal final spot with win over Hurricanes

Hurricanes wing Bailyn Sullivan takes the ball into contact against the Brumbies. Photo / Photosport

Hurricanes 28

Brumbies 35

Australia’s hopes for a first fully fledged Super Rugby title since 2014 rest on the shoulders of the Brumbies.

Claiming a 35-28 win over the Hurricanes in Canberra on Saturday night, the Brumbies punched their ticket to a semifinal clash against the Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend, eliminating the Hurricanes in the process.

A great deal been made about the new playoffs format and the potential for the clash in Canberra to have little on the line should the top two seeds already have banked wins. But after the top-seeded Chiefs were tipped up by the Blues, it meant the Brumbies and Hurricanes had to win to keep their title hopes alive.

And in an entertaining game of rugby, the Hurricanes came up short.

“We didn’t get the job done tonight. And as much as I’d like to say we just didn’t play well tonight, that Brumbies team took it up a notch and showed why they’ve been so successful here in the playoffs, especially at home,” Hurricanes co-captain Du’Plessis Kirifi told Stan Sport.

“We just weren’t good enough tonight and they were.”

It wasn’t without highlights as the visitors ran in some smart tries and looked dangerous when they had room to move. However, ball security and discipline proved costly at times.

The Brumbies were buoyed by an inspired performance from their pack, with the likes of Rob Valetini, Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa and Tuaina Taii Tualima all making plenty of impact. Their scrum also got the better of the Hurricanes’ on a number of occasions.

For the Hurricanes, it brings an end to a rollercoaster campaign that saw them win their last five games of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs as the fourth seeds. Before that stretch, they had a record of three wins, five losses and a draw.

Coincidentally, it was a 35-29 win over the Brumbies in Canberra back in late April that ignited the hot stretch for the Wellington side.

This time, it was where their story ended for 2025.

The night got off to a fine start for the visitors when Peter Umaga-Jensen sent Ruben Love striding through the Brumbies defence with a well-timed offload to lead 7-0 after seven minutes.

The lead was gone again within two minutes, with Pollard crashing over from the back of a lineout drive.

Again, the Hurricanes took the lead, with left wing Fatafehi Fineanganofo crossing out wide in the 16th minute. But once more, that lead was quickly stamped out when Alaalatoa rumbled over about five minutes later.

From there, the Brumbies took the ascendancy and capitalised on having the bulk of the first-half possession with another Pollard try before halftime.

When Rob Valetini put Tom Wright away with a beautiful ball just minutes after the restart, the task looked tough for the Hurricanes.

They wouldn’t go away, though. A try to right wing Bailyn Sullivan closed the gap, but James Slipper’s 60th-minute try pushed it back out.

The Hurricanes got back within seven points with about 13 minutes to go when Pasilio Tosi scored, but the hosts held them at bay to close out the win.

The Brumbies will now head to Hamilton to meet the Chiefs next weekend, while the Crusaders and Blues will clash in Christchurch.

Hurricanes 28 (Ruben Love, Fatafehi Fineanganofo, Bailyn Sullivan, Pasilio Tosi tries; Love 4 cons)

Brumbies 35 (Billy Pollard 2, Allan Alaalatoa, Tom Wright, James Slipper tries; Noah Lolesio 4 cons)

HT: 14-21