The Hurricanes secured the minor premiership with a comprehensive 45–28 victory over the Highlanders at Hnry Stadium, blitzing their opponents with three tries inside 15 minutes before cruising to their 11th consecutive win over the Southerners. The match was marred by a red card to Highlanders prop Daniel Lienert-Brown for a head-on-head collision that forced Devan Flanders from the field.

Key moments

2 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Josh Moorby finished a coast-to-coast move on his 50th appearance, linking with Devan Flanders and Kini Naholo before easing over on the left edge. Ruben Love converted. (Hurricanes 7–0 Highlanders)

6 mins – RED CARD HIGHLANDERS: Daniel Lienert-Brown was initially sin-binned for a head-on-head collision with Devan Flanders, before the card was upgraded to red after review. Flanders left the field with a head injury.

9 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Kini Naholo walked in on the left edge after Love swung a cutout pass to exploit the numerical advantage. Love converted. (Hurricanes 14–0 Highlanders)

15 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Du’Plessis Kirifi finished down the right after Josh Moorby produced a mesmerising run from deep, beating five defenders. Love converted. (Hurricanes 21–0 Highlanders)

25 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens hacked ahead from halfway and won the race with Love to squeeze the ball down. Cameron Millar converted. (Hurricanes 21–7 Highlanders)

29 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Ruben Love chopped inside a couple of front rowers, hit a massive step past Nic Shearer and strode in under the posts. Love converted. (Hurricanes 28–7 Highlanders)

40 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Timoci Tavatavanawai chopped back inside Naholo off a stable scrum and dived over on the right edge on the stroke of half-time. Millar converted. (Hurricanes 28–14 Highlanders)

Half-time: Hurricanes 28–14 Highlanders. The Hurricanes were electric in the opening quarter, scoring three tries before the Highlanders could draw breath. Lienert-Brown’s red card compounded a difficult evening for the visitors, though Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens’ opportunistic try and Tavatavanawai’s effort on the stroke of half-time kept them in touch. Love was outstanding at ten, while Moorby’s try and involvement in Kirifi’s score were highlights.

41 mins – YELLOW CARD HURRICANES: Ngane Punivai was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Mitch Dunshea at the restart, taking out the lifter and the jumper who landed dangerously.

42 mins – YELLOW CARD HIGHLANDERS: Xavier Tito-Harris was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on with a line break on.

43 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Jone Rova flicked an offload for Naholo, who bounced through Jack Taylor to score his second in the left corner. Love converted. (Hurricanes 35–14 Highlanders)

49 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Adam Lennox tapped a free kick and launched himself at the line to score from close range. Millar converted. (Hurricanes 35–21 Highlanders)

52 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Brayden Iose picked out Mitch Dunshea and breezed past him to score in the right corner after superb interplay involving Moorby. Love missed the conversion. (Hurricanes 40–21 Highlanders)

59 mins – TRY HURRICANES: Ereatara Enari powered over in the right corner after Ngane Punivai ran the crash and Peter Lakai bellowed around the corner. Love missed the conversion. (Hurricanes 45–21 Highlanders)

67 mins – YELLOW CARD HURRICANES: Tevita Mafileo was sin-binned for repeated scrum infringements.

68 mins – TRY HIGHLANDERS: Lucas Casey controlled a screwing scrum and powered through Love and Lakai to score down the right. Millar converted. (Hurricanes 45–28 Highlanders)

Full-time: Hurricanes 45–28 Highlanders

Full match report to follow.

Match details

Hurricanes 45 (Tries: Moorby, Naholo 2, Kirifi, Love, Iose, Enari; Conversions: Love 5/7)
Highlanders 28 (Tries: Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Tavatavanawai, Lennox, Casey; Conversions: Millar 4/4)
Half-time: 28–14

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

Teams

Hurricanes: 15 Josh Moorby, 14 Ngane Punivai, 13 Bailyn Sullivan, 12 Jone Rova, 11 Kini Naholo, 10 Ruben Love, 9 Ereatara Enari, 8 Brayden Iose, 7 Peter Lakai, 6 Devan Flanders, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Asafo Aumua, 1 Siale Lauaki.
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Tom Allen, 20 Du’Plessis Kirifi (co-c), 21 Jordi Viljoen, 22 Lucas Cashmore, 23 Billy Proctor.

Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Xavier Tito-Harris, 13 Jona Nareki, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai (co-c), 11 Jonah Lowe, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Nic Shearer, 8 Hugh Renton (co-c), 7 Lucas Casey, 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 4 Tomás Lavanini, 3 Saula Ma’u, 2 Henry Bell, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Angus Ta’avao, 17 Jack Taylor, 18 Ethan de Groot, 19 Oliver Haig, 20 Sean Withy, 21 Adam Lennox, 22 Stanley Solomon, 23 Meihana Grindlay.

Jock Campbell scored with 90 seconds remaining to break Moana Pasifika’s hearts and give the Queensland Reds a dramatic 33–31 victory at North Harbour Stadium, denying the hosts a fairytale ending in what could prove to be their final home match in Super Rugby Pacific.

Key moments

2 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Augustine Pulu raced 40 metres to score after Tevita Latu broke two tackles down the sideline and linked with Patrick Pellegrini. Pellegrini converted. (Moana Pasifika 7–0 Reds)

11 mins – TRY REDS: Tim Ryan finished a stunning counter-attack involving Jock Campbell, with the pair exchanging passes over 50 metres before Ryan dotted down behind the posts. Carter Gordon converted. (Moana Pasifika 7–7 Reds)

14 mins – HELD UP MOANA PASIFIKA: Augustine Pulu was driven over the line but held up after Moana won a penalty and kicked to the corner.

22 mins – TRY REDS: Josh Canham scooped up a deflected pass and powered over from close range. Gordon converted. (Moana Pasifika 7–14 Reds)

27 mins – TRY DISALLOWED MOANA PASIFIKA: Israel Leota dived over in the corner after slick hands along the backline, but the try was ruled out for obstruction by Solomon Alaimalo on Tim Ryan.

40+1 mins – TRY REDS: Tim Ryan spun through a tackle to score his second in the left corner on the stroke of half-time after Josh Nasser had burst through from close range. Gordon converted. (Moana Pasifika 7–21 Reds)

Half-time: Moana Pasifika 7–21 Reds. The Reds dominated after conceding the early try, with Ryan and Campbell electric in broken play and Fraser McReight winning multiple turnovers at the breakdown. Moana had a try disallowed for obstruction and were held up over the line, leaving them to rue missed chances.

45 mins – TRY REDS: Treyvon Pritchard stretched to score in the right corner after Jock Campbell fired a wide ball from a scrum. Gordon missed the conversion. (Moana Pasifika 7–26 Reds)

50 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa powered over from close range after Veikoso Poloniati carried powerfully through the midfield and Israel Leota made a surging break. Pellegrini converted. (Moana Pasifika 14–26 Reds)

55 mins – PENALTY TRY MOANA PASIFIKA + YELLOW CARD: The Reds illegally sacked the Moana Pasifika driving maul close to the line. Referee Reuben Keane awarded the penalty try and sin-binned Joe Brial. (Moana Pasifika 21–26 Reds)

58 mins – TRY MOANA PASIFIKA: Israel Leota produced a stunning solo effort, receiving the ball on halfway from a Miracle Faiilagi offload and beating three defenders to score behind the posts. Pellegrini converted. (Moana Pasifika 28–26 Reds)

64 mins – TRY DISALLOWED REDS: Josh Canham crossed for what appeared to be his second try but the TMO found a knock-on by Kalani Thomas in the build-up.

77 mins – PENALTY MOANA PASIFIKA: Pellegrini slotted from 40 metres after the Reds were penalised for obstruction. (Moana Pasifika 31–26 Reds)

79 mins – TRY REDS: Jock Campbell struck with 90 seconds remaining, receiving a Josh Flook offload from a scrum 25 metres out and beating multiple defenders with a change of direction to score near the posts. Ben Volavola converted. (Moana Pasifika 31–33 Reds)

Full-time: Moana Pasifika 31–33 Reds

Match report

Jock Campbell produced a moment of individual brilliance with 90 seconds remaining to snatch a dramatic 33–31 victory for the Queensland Reds over Moana Pasifika at North Harbour Stadium, all but securing a Super Rugby Pacific finals berth while breaking the hearts of a crowd who had dared to dream of a fairytale farewell.

With Moana Pasifika reportedly on the cusp of withdrawing from the competition, the emotion of the occasion was palpable from the outset. Coach Tana Umaga had spoken before the match about the toll of the club’s uncertain future. “It’s been an emotional week, another tough one with all that’s going on,” he said. “We talked about it earlier in the week — if we’re here, let’s do it well. The last thing we want to do is just peter out at the end.”

His players did anything but peter out. An emotion-charged Tau Moana before kick-off set the tone, and Moana had the Reds scrambling inside 90 seconds when Augustine Pulu raced 40 metres to score the opening try after Tevita Latu had broken two tackles down the sideline and linked with Pellegrini. North Harbour Stadium erupted.

The Reds’ response was emphatic. In the 11th minute, Campbell initiated a break from the backfield and combined with Tim Ryan in a stunning passage of interplay that covered nearly 70 metres. The pair exchanged passes three times before Ryan dotted down behind the posts for one of the tries of the season. Gordon converted to level the scores.

Josh Canham’s determination led to a second Reds try in the 22nd minute. Gordon’s cutout pass deflected off a Moana hand, but Canham tracked across the field from his lineout position, scooped up the loose ball and powered over from close range despite having an opponent clinging to his back.

Moana thought they had struck back in the 27th minute when Israel Leota dived acrobatically into the corner after slick hands along the backline, but the try was ruled out for obstruction by Solomon Alaimalo on Tim Ryan. It was a cruel blow for the hosts, who had also been held up over the line through Pulu earlier in the half.

Ryan crashed over for his second on the stroke of half-time after Josh Nasser had burst through from close range, and the Reds went into the break with a commanding 21–7 lead. Tate McDermott, playing his first match since sustaining a hamstring injury against New Zealand last September, had a polished 50-minute cameo in his return, directing traffic efficiently alongside Gordon.

Treyvon Pritchard’s acrobatic one-handed finish in the right corner early in the second half, after Campbell fired a wide ball from a scrum, appeared to put the result beyond doubt at 26–7. But what followed was one of the most remarkable passages of the Super Rugby Pacific season.

Moana Pasifika scored three tries in eight minutes to turn the match on its head. Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa powered over from close range after Veikoso Poloniati and Israel Leota had carried powerfully through the midfield. Then referee Reuben Keane awarded a penalty try after the Reds illegally sacked a Moana driving maul close to the line, sin-binning Joe Brial in the process. The deficit was suddenly five.

With the Reds down to 14 men, Leota produced the moment of the match — or so it seemed at the time. Receiving the ball on halfway from a Miracle Faiilagi offload, the Brisbane-bred winger beat three defenders with a devastating change of pace and direction to score behind the posts. Pellegrini’s conversion put Moana ahead 28–26, and North Harbour Stadium was rocking.

The Reds had a try to Canham ruled out in the 64th minute after the TMO found a knock-on by replacement halfback Kalani Thomas in the build-up. Pellegrini then extended Moana’s lead to five with a 40-metre penalty in the 77th minute after the Reds were penalised for obstruction, and the upset appeared inevitable.

But Campbell had other ideas. From a strong Reds scrum 25 metres out, replacement fly-half Ben Volavola swung the ball right to Josh Flook, who popped an offload to Campbell. The fullback changed direction inside, skinned two defenders and waltzed in near the posts to level the scores. Volavola made no mistake with the conversion from straight in front.

“They came home with a wet sail,” Campbell said afterwards. “It was a set play for us, and thankfully it worked.”

Reds captain Fraser McReight was equally relieved. “In that last 25 minutes, they had all the momentum. We had to scratch to get it back and had to show some ice in the veins to execute at the end. I’m super proud of the boys,” he said.

The final act was almost as dramatic. Kemara’s restart was secured by replacement forward Vaiuta Latu under enormous pressure, and Volavola thumped the ball into the stands to seal the victory.

The result opens up a six-point gap between the Reds and seventh place, eliminating the Waratahs and Highlanders from finals contention. Reds head coach Les Kiss paid tribute to Moana’s spirit. “You had to respect what was on the line for Moana Pasifika, the emotion and the spirit that came through for them. Their tackles were monstrous at times,” he said. “We find a way. As we have done three or four times this season, we held our nerve and found solutions when we had to.”

Despite the loss, the Moana Pasifika fans stood and applauded their side from the field. While the franchise’s future remains uncertain, the spirit they showed in their potential farewell was anything but a whimper.

Match details

Moana Pasifika 31 (Tries: Pulu, Tupou Ta’eiloa, Penalty Try, Leota; Conversions: Pellegrini 3/3; Penalties: Pellegrini 1/1)
Reds 33 (Tries: Ryan 2, Canham, Pritchard, Campbell; Conversions: Gordon 3/4, Volavola 1/1)
Half-time: 7–21

Venue: North Harbour Stadium, Auckland
Referee: Reuben Keane
Assistant Referees: Jordan Way, Louis Trisley
TMO: Brett Cronan

Teams

Moana Pasifika: 15 William Havili, 14 Israel Leota, 13 Solomon Alaimalo, 12 Tevita Latu, 11 Glen Vaihu, 10 Patrick Pellegrini, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Semisi Paea, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (c), 5 Veikoso Poloniati, 4 Allan Craig, 3 Atu Moli, 2 Millennium Sanerivi, 1 Malakai Hala-Ngatai.
Replacements: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Paula Latu, 19 Alefosio Aho, 20 Dominic Ropeti, 21 Siaosi Nginingini, 22 Faletoi Peni, 23 Tyler Pulini.

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Treyvon Pritchard, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Filipo Daugunu, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Tate McDermott, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Fraser McReight (c), 6 Joe Brial, 5 Seru Uru, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Massimo De Lutiis, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 George Blake.
Replacements: 16 Matt Faessler, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Kalani Thomas, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Lachie Anderson.

What’s next

The Reds host the Fijian Drua at Suncorp Stadium in the final round, needing a win to guarantee their place in the top six. Moana Pasifika travel to Canberra to face the Brumbies in what is scheduled to be their final Super Rugby Pacific match.

Thirty-seven-year-old lock Cadeyrn Neville proved the unlikely hero as the Brumbies secured their place in the Super Rugby Pacific finals with a clinical 21–14 derby victory over the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

Key moments

3 mins – HELD UP BRUMBIES: Kadin Pritchard collected a Tom Wright grubber and dived for the line, but Jack Bowen produced a try-saving tackle to flip the Brumbies centre onto his back.

15 mins – HELD UP WARATAHS: Charlie Gamble dived for the line from close range but was held up by the Brumbies defence after the Waratahs had won back-to-back penalties on the visitors’ line.

21 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Billy Pollard crashed over just left of the posts after Ryan Lonergan fired a sharp cutout pass from the base of the ruck. Lonergan converted. (Waratahs 0–7 Brumbies)

31 mins – YELLOW CARD WARATAHS: Charlie Gamble was sent to the sin bin for playing the ball on the ground with the Brumbies in sight of the line after Kadin Pritchard had made a line break down the right edge.

33 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Cadeyrn Neville powered over from close range off the back of a dominant scrum, with the Brumbies making immediate use of the extra man. Lonergan converted. (Waratahs 0–14 Brumbies)

Half-time: Waratahs 0–14 Brumbies. The Brumbies’ defence was extraordinary, repelling wave after wave of Waratahs attack inside the 22. The hosts spent over five minutes inside the Brumbies’ 22 but had nothing to show for it, while the visitors struck twice from limited opportunities.

52 mins – TRY BRUMBIES: Allan Alaalatoa scooped the ball from the back of the ruck and powered over to celebrate his 150th Super Rugby cap with a try. Lonergan converted. (Waratahs 0–21 Brumbies)

59 mins – YELLOW CARD BRUMBIES: Lachlan Lonergan was sin-binned for dragging down the maul close to the line, but the Brumbies held firm with 14 men.

64 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Isaac Kailea drove over from close range after Matt Philip and Angus Scott-Young carried to within metres of the line. Sid Harvey converted. (Waratahs 7–21 Brumbies)

70 mins – TRY WARATAHS: Max Jorgensen beat his man on the left edge and tiptoed down the touchline to score in the corner. Harvey converted. (Waratahs 14–21 Brumbies)

Full-time: Waratahs 14–21 Brumbies

Match report

The Brumbies placed the Waratahs’ season on life support with a clinical 21–14 derby win at Allianz Stadium, securing a Super Rugby Pacific finals berth and keeping alive their hopes of a top-four finish. The result was built on one of the most resolute defensive performances of the season, with 37-year-old lock Cadeyrn Neville the unlikely hero at both ends of the pitch.

The Waratahs will be haunted by the first half. Dan McKellar’s side dominated possession and territory, spending over five minutes camped inside the Brumbies’ 22, yet somehow trailed 14–0 at the break. It was a familiar story for an erratic outfit that has struggled all season to convert pressure into points, and the defeat leaves them needing a miracle to reach the playoffs — a win over the Force in Perth next weekend and the Reds to lose both their remaining matches.

The Brumbies, coming off a bye week, set the tone early with their defensive intent. Kadin Pritchard had sliced through the line in the opening minutes only to be held up over the line by a try-saving tackle from Jack Bowen. But it was the Waratahs who dominated the opening quarter, winning penalties on the Brumbies’ line and hammering through phase after phase. Gamble was held up over the line in the 15th minute, and the hosts passed through 15 phases in front of the posts without breaching the defensive wall.

Neville was at the heart of the resistance. The veteran lock, who was recalled to the starting side as part of Stephen Larkham’s strategic rotation, produced a stunning tackle to haul down Bowen just as the fly-half appeared certain to score. It was a moment that embodied the Brumbies’ refusal to yield.

Against the run of play, the Brumbies struck in the 21st minute. Ryan Lonergan, who was superb throughout, identified space on the short side and fired a surgical cutout pass to hooker Billy Pollard, who skipped through the defence to draw first blood. Lonergan converted to give the visitors an improbable 7–0 lead.

The Waratahs’ frustration deepened when flanker Charlie Gamble was sin-binned in the 31st minute for playing the ball on the ground after Pritchard had made a line break down the right edge. The Brumbies wasted no time capitalising on the numerical advantage. Off the back of a dominant scrum, Neville crashed over under the posts for the try that would prove the visitors’ nemesis had become their hero. Lonergan added the extras to make it 14–0 at half-time.

There was a sense of inevitability about the opening stages of the second half as the Brumbies extended their lead. Probing both sides of the pitch and battering their way into the 22, they built immense pressure before Allan Alaalatoa celebrated his 150th Super Rugby appearance in fitting fashion. The veteran prop scooped the ball from the back of the ruck and powered over in the tackle of Bowen, registering his 13th career try and taking the score to 21–0. Lonergan converted to complete a perfect night from the kicking tee.

The Waratahs, to their credit, refused to go quietly. Lachlan Lonergan’s sin-binning in the 59th minute for dragging down the maul gave the hosts a numerical advantage, but the Brumbies’ defensive wall held firm once more, forcing Apolosi Ranawai to be held up over the line and then winning a goal-line dropout.

The dam finally broke in the 64th minute when prop Isaac Kailea drove over from close range after Matt Philip and Angus Scott-Young had carried to within metres of the line. Harvey converted, and suddenly the deficit was 14.

Six minutes later, Max Jorgensen produced the individual moment the Waratahs had been crying out for. Receiving a long pass from Philip on the left edge, the fullback beat his man on the outside and tiptoed down the touchline to score in the corner. Harvey’s conversion from wide made it a seven-point game with ten minutes remaining, and Allianz Stadium suddenly came alive.

The Waratahs mounted a late assault, with Jack Debreczeni’s booming free kick winning them a goal-line dropout and further penalties putting them deep inside the Brumbies’ half. But Larkham’s side held their nerve, winning a crucial stolen lineout late on before Tom Wright thumped the ball into the stands in the dying moments to seal the victory.

Lonergan was the standout performer, controlling the tempo with his kicking, passing and decision-making and finishing with a perfect three from three off the kicking tee. Valetini and Shaw were immense up front, while Neville’s contribution — both in defence and with his try — was the defining performance of the match. For the Waratahs, Jorgensen, Potter and Harvey were the brightest lights in a second half that showed what might have been had they executed in the first.

The result locks the Brumbies into the finals and keeps alive their push for a top-four finish. They face Moana Pasifika in Canberra in the final round, knowing that a win combined with a Crusaders loss to the Hurricanes would deliver fourth place. The Waratahs travel to Perth to face the Force, needing victory and a series of unlikely results elsewhere to keep their season alive.

Match details

Waratahs 14 (Tries: Kailea, Jorgensen; Conversions: Harvey 2/2)
Brumbies 21 (Tries: Pollard, Neville, Alaalatoa; Conversions: R. Lonergan 3/3)
Half-time: 0–14

Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Todd Petrie, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly

Teams

Waratahs: 15 Max Jorgensen, 14 Harry Potter, 13 Triston Reilly, 12 Lawson Creighton, 11 Sid Harvey, 10 Jack Bowen, 9 Teddy Wilson, 8 Angus Scott-Young, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Clem Halaholo, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Matt Philip (c), 3 Dan Botha, 2 Ioane Moananu, 1 Jack Barrett.
Replacements: 16 Oniti Finau, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Apolosi Ranawai, 19 Ben Grant, 20 Jamie Adamson, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 Jack Debreczeni, 23 Joey Walton.

Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (c), 8 Toby Macpherson, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Cadeyrn Neville, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Rhys van Nek, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Hudson Creighton.

What’s next

The Brumbies host Moana Pasifika in Canberra in the final round, with a top-four finish still within reach. The Waratahs travel to Perth to face the Western Force, needing a win and the Reds to lose both their remaining games to have any hope of making the playoffs.