The Hurricanes opened their 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign in devastating fashion, running in eight tries to thrash Moana Pasifika 52–10 at Sky Stadium, but a serious knee injury to first five-eighth Brett Cameron cast a shadow over an otherwise emphatic bonus-point victory.

Key moments

7 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Tuna Tuitama opens the scoring with a brilliant chip and chase. Patrick Pellegrini delays his pass to catch Josh Moorby jamming out of the defensive line, and slick hands send Tuitama into space on the left. He chips over Callum Harkin just outside the 22, regathers on the bounce, and races away to finish. Pellegrini misses the conversion from the left. (Hurricanes 0–5 Moana Pasifika)

11 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Fehi Fineanganofo strikes back immediately. The Hurricanes forwards set a solid platform at the scrum, and the ball is worked wide through the hands. Brett Cameron delivers the final pass to send Fineanganofo charging into the corner. Cameron converts from wide on the left. (Hurricanes 7–5 Moana Pasifika)

15 mins – INJURY MOANA PASIFIKA: Debutant wing Israel Leota departs with an ankle injury after a promising start featuring strong carries and big hits. Tevita Ofa replaces him. (Hurricanes 7–5 Moana Pasifika)

17 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Josh Moorby scores an aerobatic finish in the corner. Hard carries from the forwards force Moana Pasifika’s defenders to shut in, before Jordie Barrett fires a wide cut-out ball to find Moorby in just enough space outside Tuitama. Moorby slips to his outside and gets the ball down before his feet go into touch. Cameron misses the conversion. (Hurricanes 12–5 Moana Pasifika)

23 mins – INJURY HURRICANES: Brett Cameron goes down with a serious right knee injury after attempting to tackle powerful Moana midfielder Faletoi Peni off a scrum. Play is stopped for several minutes before he is stretchered from the field. Billy Proctor replaces him, with Callum Harkin shifting to first five-eighth. A devastating blow for a player who missed most of last season with a ruptured ACL. (Hurricanes 12–5 Moana Pasifika)

25 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Fehi Fineanganofo crosses for his double. Warner Dearns claims the lineout before it comes to midfield, with Harkin finding space as he loops in behind the lead run of Brayden Iose. A wide pass sends Fineanganofo charging to the corner untouched. Barrett takes over the goalkicking but misses from wide on the left. (Hurricanes 17–5 Moana Pasifika)

29 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Josh Moorby is gifted his second by his selfless wing partner. Billy Proctor makes the initial break, and Devan Flanders gets to the breakdown base to shift play quickly to the short side. Peter Lakai sends Fineanganofo away to the line, only for the winger to pass back inside for Moorby to finish. Barrett converts. (Hurricanes 24–5 Moana Pasifika)

Half-time: Hurricanes 24–5 Moana Pasifika. All one-way traffic after an early Moana ambush. Fineanganofo has been the chief destroyer with two tries and a third gifted to Moorby. The loss of Cameron is the major concern for the hosts, who have no specialist flyhalf on the park.

43 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Hat-trick for Josh Moorby. Bailyn Sullivan takes an offload from Barrett and bursts through a gap in midfield, before finding Moorby in support off his shoulder. The wing races clear to score under the posts. Barrett converts. (Hurricanes 31–5 Moana Pasifika)

53 mins – HELD UP MOANA PASIFIKA: Faletoi Peni crashes towards the line from close range but loses the ball the split second before grounding it. The centre comes agonisingly close to getting Moana back into the contest, but Sullivan and Harkin combine to dislodge the ball. Moana scrum. (Hurricanes 31–5 Moana Pasifika)

55 mins – TMO REVIEW HURRICANES: Moorby is denied a fourth try. Harkin splits the defence before Proctor carves through behind the ruck. Moorby pops up in support, is dragged down short, releases and goes again to finish by the sticks—but the TMO rules the ball went forward as he released for the second effort. (Hurricanes 31–5 Moana Pasifika)

62 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Brayden Iose strolls over after the Hurricanes create a massive overlap on the left. Arese Poliko pops to Barrett, who finds Harkin on the loop, who then sends Iose over for a simple finish. Barrett converts. (Hurricanes 38–5 Moana Pasifika)

63 mins – INJURY MOANA PASIFIKA: William Havili suffers a head or neck injury after copping friendly fire under pressure inside his own 22. He is stretchered from the field after a lengthy delay. Patrick Pellegrini returns to the park. (Hurricanes 38–5 Moana Pasifika)

67 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Patrick Pellegrini gets a consolation score. Moana work the ball from the scrum, with Faletoi Peni taking a hard carry deep into the line before popping for Tuna Tuitama. Tuitama flicks to find Pellegrini, who brushes off a couple of last-ditch tackles to reach the line. Pellegrini misses the conversion. (Hurricanes 38–10 Moana Pasifika)

74 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Brayden Iose produces the try of the match. Harkin makes the initial inroads, before Warner Dearns bursts into a hole on halfway and gets away an offload to Iose on his left. The No 8 shows good footwork—a devastating left-foot step past Pellegrini—before showing a clean pair of heels to race away from near halfway. Barrett converts. (Hurricanes 45–10 Moana Pasifika)

78 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Billy Proctor caps a huge performance off the bench. Harkin delays his pass nicely and sends Proctor bursting through a hole to score. Barrett converts. (Hurricanes 52–10 Moana Pasifika)

Full-time: Hurricanes 52–10 Moana Pasifika

On a gorgeous Wellington evening tailor-made for running rugby, the Hurricanes delivered exactly what their home supporters craved—and then some. But the sight of Brett Cameron being stretchered from the field in agony, just 23 minutes into the season, tempered any celebrations.

Moana Pasifika, buoyed by their stunning round one upset of the Fijian Drua in Lautoka, started with genuine intent. Tana Umaga had rotated heavily, handing seven debutants a run to manage the travel and heat demands from Fiji, but his young side showed no early nerves. They dominated possession in the opening exchanges, capitalising on a jittery Hurricanes start that included two early lineout spills from debutant lock Warner Dearns. The hosts couldn’t get their hands on the ball, and Moana’s patience was rewarded in the seventh minute when Tuitama’s audacious chip and chase—set up by Pellegrini’s deft delayed pass that caught Moorby jamming out of the line—produced one of the tries of the round. Sky Stadium fell quiet.

That was about where the highlights stopped for Moana. A handling error gifted the Hurricanes a scrum feed 40 metres out, and the forwards laid a solid platform before the ball was worked through the hands. Cameron’s final pass gave Fehi Fineanganofo—the former New Zealand Sevens flyer who will depart for Newcastle at season’s end—the outside shoulder, and the 23-year-old did the rest, showcasing his electric pace to burn around the corner and score in the 11th minute. Cameron’s sideline conversion nudged the hosts in front at 7–5.

Debutant wing Israel Leota’s promising evening was cut short in the 15th minute when an ankle injury forced his departure, robbing Moana of a physical presence who had impressed with strong carries and big hits. Moments later, Moorby—returning to Wellington after a stint in the Top 14 with Montpellier—announced his homecoming with an aerobatic finish in the corner, getting the ball down with feet millimetres from the touchline after Barrett’s wide cut-out pass found just enough space outside Tuitama. The 27-year-old looked immediately at home back in Hurricanes colours.

Then came the moment that overshadowed everything. Cameron, the 29-year-old starting at No 10 in the absence of Ruben Love, went down attempting to tackle the powerful Peni off a scrum. He tried to play on but was unable to put weight on his right knee—the opposite leg to the ACL he ruptured last season—and play was stopped for several minutes before he was carried from the field on a medicab. Billy Proctor was summoned early from the bench, with Callum Harkin shifting into the pivot role.

“It didn’t look good,” coach Clark Laidlaw said afterwards. “He worked so bloody hard last year to do a five-and-a-half month ACL return. He’s in great condition, he’s had an awesome pre-season and he’s been leading the team really well. It’s a hammer blow to him and it will take a bit of sinking in.”

If anything, Cameron’s departure only sharpened the Hurricanes’ resolve. Dearns, recovering from those early lineout wobbles, claimed clean ball that was worked to midfield, where Harkin found space looping behind Iose’s lead run. The wide pass sent Fineanganofo charging to the corner untouched for his double—a product of the improved set-piece work and the winger’s terrifying acceleration off the mark.

Fineanganofo was simply unplayable in the first half—four line breaks, over 100 metres with ball in hand, and a willingness to back himself one-on-one that terrorised Moana’s scramble defence at every opportunity. Yet it was his unselfishness four minutes later that produced the most memorable moment before the break. Peter Lakai’s powerful carry created the initial break down the left, and when Fineanganofo received the ball with the tryline beckoning and only open grass ahead, he turned down a near-certain hat-trick by popping the ball back inside for Moorby. The winger’s grin as he celebrated with his teammate told the story. Barrett’s conversion sent the Hurricanes into half-time with a commanding 24–5 lead.

The second half started exactly as the first had ended. Sullivan took an offload from Barrett at pace and burst through a gap that opened in the Moana midfield. He had the awareness to find Moorby running a support line off his shoulder, and the wing needed no invitation, racing clear to dot down under the posts and complete his hat-trick inside 43 minutes. Barrett’s conversion pushed the lead to 31–5, and the contest was effectively over.

Moana threatened briefly in a compelling passage around the hour mark. Peni, one of the visitors’ standout debutants with his silky skills and abrasive carrying, came agonisingly close to grounding the ball in the 53rd minute, only for Sullivan and Harkin to combine and dislodge it at the last instant. Moorby was then denied a fourth try by the TMO, who spotted a knock-on as the wing released for a second effort.

The Hurricanes’ patience eventually broke Moana’s resistance in the 62nd minute. Poliko, another debutant making a considerable impact off the bench, popped to Barrett, who found Harkin on the loop. Harkin drew the last defender before sending Iose over on the left—the overlap created by phase play that stretched Moana’s tiring defence to breaking point.

Havili’s departure on a stretcher with a head or neck injury shortly afterwards, after copping friendly fire under pressure inside his own 22, compounded Moana’s misery. Pellegrini returned to the park and promptly provided the visitors with a moment to savour, fighting his way to the line after good work from Peni and Tuitama off the back of a solid scrum. The first five-eighth still had plenty to do, but showed admirable determination to brush off a couple of last-ditch tackles and force his way over. It was too little, too late, but demonstrated the character that had underpinned their Lautoka upset a week earlier.

Iose’s second, in the 74th minute, was the try of the match and worth the admission alone. Harkin made the initial inroads with a darting run from deep, before Dearns—growing into the game impressively after his nervy start—burst into a hole on halfway and got away a superb offload in contact. What followed was breathtaking: Iose sold Pellegrini a devastating left-foot step, and once he was past the flyhalf, there was nobody quick enough to catch him. He sprinted clear from near halfway, the Wellington crowd rising as one, to score a try that showcased everything—power, pace, and footballing instinct.

Proctor, immense throughout after his early introduction, capped a huge bench performance with the final try in the 78th minute. Harkin delayed his pass nicely before sending the All Black centre bursting through a hole, and Proctor had too much pace and power for the weary Moana defence, finishing to bring up the half-century.

Captain Jordie Barrett, playing his first match in Hurricanes colours since returning from his 2025 sabbatical at Leinster, acknowledged the bittersweet nature of the evening. “It’s a sick feeling when you see a mate of yours go down and the green whistle comes out. With Ruben out, we need our 10s.”

With Love at least a month away and Cameron facing scans, the Hurricanes now confront a genuine flyhalf crisis. Harkin shifted into the pivot role admirably, steering the side with maturity and composure, but the loss of a specialist No 10 for what could be an extended period is a significant concern heading into a round three trip to the Drua’s Churchill Park fortress.

Dearns, the towering Japan captain, can reflect on a debut of two halves—the early lineout spills giving way to an assured performance of strong carries and sharp offloads that hinted at the impact he will make throughout the season.

For Moana, the debutants showed flashes—Peni’s combative midfield display in particular—but three injuries to Leota, Cameron’s opposite number Havili, and the pre-match withdrawal of Semisi Paea (whose wife went into labour) tested Umaga’s depth to its limits.

What’s next

The Hurricanes travel to Lautoka to face the Fijian Drua at their Churchill Park fortress next Saturday, buoyed by Moana Pasifika’s recent upset there but facing a flyhalves crisis of their own making. Moana Pasifika host the Western Force in their first home game of the season in Pukekohe next Friday.

Teams

Hurricanes: 15 Callum Harkin, 14 Josh Moorby, 13 Bailyn Sullivan, 12 Jordie Barrett (c), 11 Fehi Fineanganofo, 10 Brett Cameron, 9 Ereatara Enari, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Peter Lakai, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Hugo Plummer, 3 Siale Lauaki, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Matolu Petaia, 20 Brad Shields, 21 Arese Poliko, 22 Cam Roigard, 23 Billy Proctor.

Moana Pasifika: 15 Simon Peter Toleafoa, 14 Israel Leota, 13 Glen Vaihu, 12 Faletoi Peni, 11 Tuna Tuitama, 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 9 Siaosi Nginingini, 8 Dominic Ropeti, 7 Konrad Toleafoa, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (c), 5 Alefosio Aho, 4 Veikoso Poloniati, 3 Feleti Sae-Ta’ufo’ou, 2 Samiuela Moli, 1 Abraham Pole.
Replacements: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Tito Tuipulotu, 18 Lolani Faleiva, 19 Allan Craig, 20 Sam Tu’itupou Ah-Hing, 21 Melani Matavao, 22 William Havili, 23 Tevita Ofa.

Match details

Hurricanes 52 (Tries: Josh Moorby 3, Fehi Fineanganofo 2, Brayden Iose 2, Billy Proctor; Conversions: Jordie Barrett 5/7, Brett Cameron 1/1)
Moana Pasifika 10 (Tries: Tuna Tuitama, Patrick Pellegrini)
Half-time: 24–5

Venue: Sky Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: George Myers, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Graham Cooper

All Blacks flanker Dalton Papali’i has signed a three-year deal with French Top 14 club Castres Olympique, bringing to an end his near decade-long association with New Zealand rugby.

Key points:

• Dalton Papali’i has signed a three-year contract with Top 14 club Castres Olympique
• The 28-year-old Blues captain will depart at the end of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season
• Papali’i made just one Test appearance under Scott Robertson in 2025
• The flanker has 37 All Blacks caps and featured in every match of the 2023 World Cup
• His departure ends any prospect of featuring in New Zealand’s 2027 World Cup campaign
• Papali’i is two matches away from reaching 100 appearances for the Blues

The 28-year-old, who has captained the Blues since helping them end a 21-year title drought in 2024, will depart Auckland at the conclusion of the current Super Rugby Pacific season. His decision follows a fractured relationship with now-sacked All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson, under whom Papali’i made just one Test appearance in 2025.

“This club means everything to me,” Papali’i said in a statement released by the Blues. “I grew up dreaming of wearing the Blues jersey and representing my country. I’ve been lucky enough to live that dream for a long time. The Blues gave me my chance, backed me, and helped me become the player and person I am.”

The loose forward, capped 37 times by New Zealand since his debut against Japan in 2018, was a regular fixture in the Test side under both Steve Hansen and Ian Foster. He featured in every match of the 2023 World Cup, including the final against South Africa, but found himself frozen out when Robertson took charge.

Speaking recently about his diminished role, Papali’i offered a candid assessment. “I was there when Shag and Fozzie were there holding the helm,” he said. “Seeing it change to Razor’s agenda – you could see there was a big difference. People spoke up and they had to have a review. We followed that process. What happened, happened.”

His departure effectively ends any prospect of featuring in New Zealand’s 2027 World Cup campaign. Papali’i had been contracted to New Zealand Rugby through to the tournament but was granted an early release.

At Castres, he will join a club with a proud history of welcoming All Blacks, including Kees Meeuws, Carl Hoeft, Chris Masoe and, more recently, Jack Goodhue. Abraham Papali’i, a Tongan international and no relation despite sharing the surname, already operates in the Castres back row.

“I think I’ve reached the maturity necessary to have such an experience, to adapt to a different style of rugby and embark on a new adventure while contributing fully to the team,” Papali’i said. “I know the club’s history. It’s a city passionate about its club and offers a family-oriented environment. It’s also a club that loves taking on challenges. All of that suits me.”

Castres president Pierre-Yves Revol described the signing as an exception to the club’s usual recruitment philosophy. “Dalton Papali’i is a complete player with rich experience and true leadership despite his young age,” Revol said. “Even though our recruitment focuses on promoting players from our academy, high-potential players in Pro D2 and developing foreign players, we can sometimes make exceptions and seize the opportunity to bring in a player with strong added value.”

Director Matthias Rolland highlighted Papali’i’s versatility as a key factor. “Xavier wanted a player of this type: complete and capable of playing all three back-row positions. We believe Dalton ticks many boxes to integrate well into our squad.”

Blues general manager of rugby Murray Williams paid tribute to a player who has made 98 appearances for the franchise. “Dalton embodies everything it means to be a Blues man,” Williams said. “We’re proud of what he’s achieved here, and will continue to support him and his family as he takes on this next chapter. This club will always be his home.”

Papali’i is on course to reach his century of Blues caps during Round 3’s fixture against the Brumbies in Canberra, having scored a try in last weekend’s defeat to the Chiefs in the season opener. Opus 4.5Claude is AI and can make mistakes.

The ACT Brumbies turned up the heat to gas the Western Force 56-24 in a sapping season-opening Super Rugby Pacific clash in Perth, with Charlie Cale and Declan Meredith each bagging doubles as the visitors ran riot in the second half.

Key moments

7 mins – TRY WESTERN FORCE: Vaiolini Ekuasi opens the scoring after a powerful start from the hosts. The Force defend the five-metre maul initially, but there is no stopping the flanker from close range as the forward pack goes about its work. Ben Donaldson converts. (Western Force 7-0 Brumbies)
21 mins – PENALTY WESTERN FORCE: Ben Donaldson slots a penalty immediately after the first drinks break in the sweltering conditions. The Force have spent most of the first 20 minutes camped in the Brumbies’ half. Referee Jordan Way has already spoken to Brumbies skipper Ryan Lonergan about his side’s discipline—the penalty count stands at 5-0. (Western Force 10-0 Brumbies)
22 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Charlie Cale produces against the run of play to drag the visitors into the contest. It takes the Brumbies 22 minutes to even enter the Force quarter, but as soon as they do, quick ball after James Slipper and Rob Valetini’s runs puts the No 8 in space. Cale shows pace and footwork down the left flank, burning the cover defence to score. Ryan Lonergan converts. (Western Force 10-7 Brumbies)
35 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Declan Meredith spots a gap and darts through. The Brumbies win a strong scrum and earn a penalty, with Meredith firing a dummy left before bursting forward close to the ruck. The livewire flyhalf leaves Wallabies stars Carlo Tizzano and Brandon Paenga-Amosa clutching at air as he wrestles the ball down under the posts. Ryan Lonergan converts. (Western Force 10-14 Brumbies)
Half-time: Western Force 10-14 Brumbies. The Force enjoy all the early running but relinquish their lead. The Brumbies benefit more from the water break and shift their style, moving the ball wide at every opportunity. Force lose No 8 Nick Champion de Crespigny to injury seven minutes before the break.
42 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Rhys van Nek forces his way over just a minute after the resumption. The Brumbies turn down three points and head for the line, rewarded when the tighthead prop spins and finds the whitewash. Ryan Lonergan converts. (Western Force 10-21 Brumbies)
48 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Ryan Lonergan scores the most unlikely of crash ball tries. The Brumbies have several advantages after sustained pressure, with Charlie Cale finding his skipper lurking outside. Lonergan drives low, bursts the tackle and scores under the posts. He converts his own try. (Western Force 10-28 Brumbies)
52 mins – TRY WESTERN FORCE: Franco Molina announces himself with a try on debut. Ben Donaldson beats a couple of tackles and puts a clever grubber kick through for his galloping Argentine lock, who does enough to collect and score under the posts. Veteran Kurtley Beale, on from the bench, helps inject enterprise into the Force’s play. Ben Donaldson converts. (Western Force 17-28 Brumbies)
58 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Declan Meredith completes his double with silky work down the short side. Ryan Lonergan unleashes Ollie Sapsford, who draws the fullback before releasing his flyhalf. Meredith streaks home wide out on the left. Lonergan converts. (Western Force 17-35 Brumbies)
67 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Corey Toole shows his trademark opportunism. The Force try to throw it around but the loose ball lands in the speedster’s hands, and he won’t be caught, running 60 metres without a finger laid on him. Tane Edmed, on debut for the Brumbies, converts. (Western Force 17-42 Brumbies)
75 mins – YELLOW CARD BRUMBIES: A tough way for Tevita Alatini’s debut to end as he earns an early shower. The prop clearly trips Ben Donaldson as the flyhalf kicks the ball away, leaving referee Jordan Way no option. (Western Force 17-42 Brumbies)
77 mins – TRY WESTERN FORCE: Carlo Tizzano gives the fans something to celebrate on his 50th Super Rugby game. The Force rumble from 20 metres out with a rolling maul and the flanker is the man who dots it down. Ben Donaldson converts. (Western Force 24-42 Brumbies)
78 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Charlie Cale completes his double with the quick tap. The Force infringe from the kickoff and the No 8 does it all himself, proving unstoppable as he strolls through some poor tackles. Tane Edmed converts. (Western Force 24-49 Brumbies)
80+2 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Ollie Sapsford puts the exclamation mark on the win after the final siren. Tane Edmed is the ring general, putting the kick in for Kadin Pritchard before finding Corey Toole, who is dragged down just short. Sapsford picks and goes over the line from the ruck. Edmed converts his third from three attempts. (Western Force 24-56 Brumbies)
Full-time: Western Force 24-56 Brumbies

Temperatures exceeding 35 degrees forced officials to apply Heat Stress protocols at HBF Park, and it was the home side who wilted when it mattered most. The Force relinquished a 10-point lead and conceded 28 straight points mid-match as the benchmark Brumbies overcame the loss of a glut of Wallabies stars to once again claim derby bragging rights.

The victory was the perennial Australian superpower’s sixth out of six in season openers against the WA franchise, which has yet to make the finals since entering the competition 20 years ago. It was a statement performance that silenced the doubters.

Reigning John Eales Medallist Len Ikitau and fellow Test players Noah Lolesio and Tom Hooper departed in the off-season, while Wallabies Tom Wright (knee) and inspirational captain Allan Alaalatoa (back) remain sidelined. But the Brumbies clinically showed the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Two-time Australian player of the year Rob Valetini led the visitors’ fightback, offering physical presence and power throughout. But it was fellow back-rower Cale who stole the show, playing a fine role with pace and footwork down the left flank to drag the Brumbies into the contest with their first try, then turning unlikely provider with another vital second-half score.

The Force had enjoyed all the early running, camping themselves in the Brumbies’ half and bagging the opening try through flanker Vaiolini Ekuasi in the seventh minute. A Ben Donaldson penalty immediately after the first of two three-minute water breaks skipped the hosts out to a 10-0 lead after 21 minutes.

It took the Brumbies 22 minutes to even enter the Force’s quarter, but as soon as they did, Cale crossed. Quick ball after Slipper and Valetini’s carries put the No 8 in space, and he showed his trademark pace down the touchline to open the visitors’ account.

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Stephen Larkham’s decision to back Meredith to start ahead of incumbent Wallabies flyhalf Tane Edmed paid immediate dividends. The 26-year-old found a gap close to the ruck in the 35th minute, firing a dummy before leaving Tizzano and Paenga-Amosa clutching at air to give the Brumbies a 14-10 halftime lead.

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The Force suffered a significant blow when No 8 Nick Champion de Crespigny limped off seven minutes before the break, replaced by Will Harris.

Any home hopes of a second-half turnaround were snuffed out within minutes. Rhys van Nek, stepping into the boots of injured captain Alaalatoa at tighthead, forced his way over a minute after the resumption. Then Lonergan, the most unlikely of crash ball runners, sliced through a hole after the forwards had laid siege to the line.

At 28-10, the game was effectively over as a contest.

Veteran Kurtley Beale did his best to inject some enterprise into the Force’s play, combining with fellow former Waratahs playmaker Donaldson to create a try for energetic Argentine lock Franco Molina in the 52nd minute. The debutant’s score briefly cut the deficit to 11 points, but the Brumbies had too much class.

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Meredith completed his double with a sharp finish down the short side after being released by Ollie Sapsford, before Corey Toole produced a typically opportunistic strike—intercepting loose ball and running 60 metres untouched to extend the lead to 25 points.

Debutant Tevita Alatini’s afternoon ended sourly with a yellow card for tripping Donaldson in the 75th minute, and the Force took advantage with a rolling maul try for Tizzano on his 50th Super Rugby appearance. But the Brumbies were not finished—Cale grabbed his second with a quick tap before Sapsford went over after the siren to secure an emphatic bonus-point victory.

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On debut, Edmed nailed his first points for the ACT franchise with three conversions from three attempts after being thrust into the action late for Meredith. The succession planning continues.

For the Force, there were bright spots. Molina and Tizzano were busy up front, while George Bridge and Hamish Stewart linked nicely in midfield. But they could not cope with the speed and power of the Brumbies in the second half, and the 20-year wait for a finals appearance goes on.

Match details

Western Force 24 (Tries: Vaiolini Ekuasi, Franco Molina, Carlo Tizzano; Conversions: Ben Donaldson 3/3; Penalties: Ben Donaldson 1/1)
Brumbies 56 (Tries: Charlie Cale 2, Declan Meredith 2, Rhys van Nek, Ryan Lonergan, Corey Toole, Ollie Sapsford; Conversions: Ryan Lonergan 5/5, Tane Edmed 3/3)
Halftime: 10-14
Venue: HBF Park, Perth
Referee: Jordan Way (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Damon Murphy, Jeremy Markey
TMO: James Leckie
Yellow Cards: Tevita Alatini (Brumbies, 75′)
Attendance: 5,255

What’s next

The Western Force host the Blues in the historic first-ever game at Arena Joondalup’s HIF Health Insurance Oval next Saturday, desperate to bounce back from this heavy defeat. The Brumbies face a tough trip to Christchurch to take on the Crusaders.