The ACT Brumbies' season is over as a white-hot Hurricanes side delivered one of the biggest routs in Super Rugby history, winning 66-12 in rainy conditions in Wellington.
The Brumbies needed to produce a win here to keep their finals hopes alive, but had no answers , not only conceding the most number of points ever in their history in a single half (38), but also copping the heaviest Super Rugby finals loss in Australian history, and the biggest loss in their club's history.
Watch every second of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season live and on demand via Stan Sport.
It rained tries for the hosts in the New Zealand capital, with Cam Roigard scoring a double, with Caleb Delany, Walter Dearns and Billy Proctor completing a demolition of a first half to lead 38-7 at halftime.
The Brumbies struck back through a try to Corey Toole, and grabbed a second long range effort to Tane Edmed.
But from then on, it was all as the hosts who scored four more tries, with Dearns nabbing his second and Ngane Punivai scoring a second half hattrick to make the result one for the record books.
It ended an ugly night of records being broken for the visitors, marking just the fifth time they'd had more than 50 points put on them, and then becoming the heaviest loss in their history, beating out their 46-7 loss to the Blues in 2024.
FOLLOW ALL THE ACTION IN THE LIVE BLOG BELOW OR THE MATCH CENTRE
The Brumbies try to finish in style, making it to the 22 but the hosts win it back. It's official, this is the biggest loss an Australian side has every copped in the Super Rugby finals.
The hosts win a scrum off a maul, and that should be enough as the siren goes red. The Canes win it, Enari kicks it out, and that's it.
Brumbies concede a penalty, and the hosts tap and go, they want 60… and they kick across field and Punivai snatches it to score a second half hattrick. What a try!
The Canes are sending a message and are white hot, as Love converts from the sideline.
Some grim stats coming in, as the Brumbies conceded the most number of points ever in the first half, now they've had 50 put on them for just the fifth time ever in their history.
The hosts win a scrum but the play breaks down, and the visitors kick ahead. They get a penalty for offside, and Thorn taps and goes, the forwards making good movement up the field… but it's turned over and Shields clears it to the Brumbies 22!
The hosts twist the knife, earning an advantage on attack. They try to go wide but it falls apart so we go back for the offside.
They go to the corner to heap more pain, and a great attacking line sees Punivai slice through to score his second! Too good! They are currently on track to crack 60 for the third time this year as Love converts.
The visitors get a penalty and kick to the corner, but the lineout is overthrown and the hosts regather, another chance deep in the 22 goes begging.
The hosts clear and the Brumbies attack again, earning another penalty. They go to the corner, overthrow it again, and lose it again! The hosts tidy up and clear.
Billy Pollard continues to deliver well and looks to have scored a great try, but the TMO has caught a foot in touch early, and sadly he will be denied a great effort.
The Canes win the lineout and clear, the Brumbies attack but Enari nearly intercepts it! Knock on however, scrum to the visitors. They win and go on the attack.
The Brumbies attack again, but the play breaks down and the ball goes out. The Hurricanes attack again, and play devolves into a kicking battle, before the hosts restart attack again on halfway… until Shaw intercepts it.
They try to go wide, and Ngane Punivai intercepts it. Wright is chasing and catches him, but Punivai gets it down. Love converts, and the margin is 40.
That try seems to have galvanised the visitors, who deliver a great 50/22 off the boot of Muirhead. They win the lineout and maul it, getting closer, before Lonergan unloads Sapford.
The visitors get an advantage, and are looking for their third. It comes to nought but we're brought back. They tap and go, but it falls apart with the line open and the hosts clear it!
Tom Wright makes a good break, but the kick ahead can't find a Brumby hand and the visitors kick back. Wright replies with a good kick that stops short of the dead ball line, and the hosts have a restart.
The Brumbies attack but the hosts recover the ball, reply back, and out of nowhere, a Toole break sees a good combination with Edmed for the replacement flyhalf to score! Good try but they're a long way back.
Brumbies pinch the lineout and try to go wide, but the ball goes out onto the full. The hosts maul it well, and make it to the 22, going quickly. The phases build, and the hosts get closer.
Phase 12, and the Brumbies push back well from their 5m line. The Canes restart, and we cross 20 phases. The Canes are opening up, we're less than 5m out… and finally, Dearns gets over under the sticks. Love converts, and that should be enough to see them through to semis.
The hosts start well, kicking long and putting pressure on Meredith, who is forced to clear on the 22. Should the hosts score, that'll likely put any hopes of a miracle comeback firmly to bed.
However, a long pass finds Tom Wright, who loses his footing but gets it to Toole, and the visitors clear and survive.
The teams are back out on the field, the ref blows his whistle, and we are underway.
The Hurricanes manage a blustery restart and kick it out as the siren goes, and both sides are off down the tunnels. As comprehensive a half of rugby as you will ever see from the hosts.
A dropped restart and the hosts are on the attack but drop it, Brumbies clear but the hosts attack again and get an advantage. They look dangerous. Finally, Roigard goes through the middle and scores untouched, and it's too easy.
The Brumbies are struggling for answers as Love converts, and it's an ugly scoreline heading into the last minute.
The Brumbies regather the restart and look to go on the attack, and finally build some phases… and out of nowhere, Lonergan catches the Canes behind the defensive line and Toole scores off the chip over.
Lonergan converts, and finally the visitors have something to smile about.
The Brumbies are pinged for offside off a handling error, and the hosts attack yet again. It rainy and miserable in Wellington but the hosts are playing like there is not a drop in the air.
Finally, after a small build up, Warner Dearns goes under the sticks untouched. That should be enough to wrap up any hope of a Brumbies comeback as Love convert and the lead stretches to over 30.
The visitors make some inroads, but the hosts pinch it and counterattack well, kicking long to the Brumbies 22. The visitors botch the lineout, and a great chance for the hosts. They make inroads but knock it on, scrum to the visitors.
The visitors win and kick ahead, the hosts shank a terrible bomb but the visitors can't capitalise and concede a penalty. Another chance goes begging. The hosts win the lineout, attack well on the left flanks, and the Proctor scores in the corner. This is lethal! Love converts.
After the Brums clear, the hosts try to kick ahead again but kick it out on the full, Brumby lineout on halfway. They attack and try to kick ahead, the hosts regather and nearly score a length of the field try, but are penalised for holding on in the visitors' 22.
Brumbies clear, maul off the lineout, and attack again, and Lonergan delivers an excellent 22. A chance to attack.
A knock on off the restart, and we have our first scrum of the night, for the Canes. They use their weight, the scrum is a pushover, and it's a ominous moment for the visitors as they are penalised.
They win the lineout and attack, but knock it on and the Brumbies have a chance to make amends at set piece. They win the scrum but knock it on, Canes scrum. The hosts win it and kick ahead.
A bad clearance from the Brums and they've kicked it out on the full, the Canes attack again. They get over the 22, the ball spits out but the hosts are penalised for being offside. It's been a clinical performance, not one mistake made.
They point to the sticks, Love slots it, and the hosts are going a point a minute.
The Canes clear off the restart, and the hosts attack, but are penalised for holding on. They kick into Brumbies territory and look to go ahead, and it's effective! Roigard benefits from the great support play to score the hosts second! Love converts.
The Brums lose the ball, and just like that, the Canes strike! A length of the field try to Caleb Delany, it was all too easy! Love converts, and we have our first of the night.
The Canes clear, but after a kicking battle between the two the Brumbies resume attacking on halftway and kick ahead. Love reclaims it but the pressure is good from the visitors, and they are forced to exit just past the 22. Good opportunity for the visitors again.
Lineout is better, and they maul it before going kicking ahead, the Canes regather and clear, and the hosts attack again.
The visitors don't mess about and exit quickly to halfway. The Canes attack for the first time tonight, and look to spin it wide from sideline to sideline, but the Brumbies defend very well and the Canes knock it on and concede a penalty.
Meredith kicks to the corner, but the lineout is not straight. A costly opportunity to attack goes begging.
It is rainy, wet and swirling conditions that welcome both sides as they take the field in Wellington.
Ben O'Keefe blows his whistle, and the Canes kick us off!
Tries: Delany, Roigard 2, Proctor, Dearns 2, Punivai 3
Cons: Love 9/9
Pens: Love 1/1
Tries: Toole, Edmed
Cons: Lonergan 1/2
Welcome to Rugby.com.au's coverage of the ACT Brumbies' clash with the Hurricanes in Wellington, our first match of finals in the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Both sides are going through their warm-up, with confirmation of no late changes for either side. It is rainy, cold and wet in windy Wellington, which could work in the favour of the visitors somewhat given conditions this time of year in Canberra.
HURRICANES (1-15): Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua, Pasilio Tosi, Caleb Delany, Warner Dearns, Brad Shields, Du'Plessis Kirifi (co-c), Peter Lakai, Cam Roigard, Ruben Love, Kini Naholo, Jordie Barrett (co-c), Billy Proctor, Josh Moorby, Callum Harkin
Replacements: Raymond Tuputupu, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Tyrel Lomax, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Brayden Iose, Ereatara Enari, Jone Rova, Ngane Punivai
BRUMBIES (1-15): James Slipper, Lachlan Lonergan, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Lachlan Shaw, Cadeyrn Neville, Rob Valetini, Luke Reimer, Charlie Cale, Ryan Lonergan, Declan Meredith, Corey Toole, David Feliuai, Hudson Creighton, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Blake Schoupp, Rhys van Nek, Nick Frost, Rory Scott, Klayton Thorn, Tane Edmed, Ollie Sapsford
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe
Assistant Referees: Todd Petries, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly
The Hurricanes' clash with the Brumbies will be shown LIVE on Stan Sport.
Coverage will be live and ad-free on Stan Sport, slated to start at 4:30 pm with kickoff expected at 5:05 pm.
