A New Hope for Australian Rugby Teams in Super Rugby
The good news for Australian rugby fans is that the ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds are set to take on their New Zealand rivals in the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific qualifying finals. This marks a significant moment for the teams, as they look to break a long-standing record of not winning a finals match in New Zealand.
In the 30-year history of Super Rugby, no Australian team has managed to secure a victory in a finals match within New Zealand. This statistic is a sobering reality for coaches Stephen Larkham and Les Kiss as they prepare their respective teams to face the Hurricanes and Chiefs.
Larkham’s sixth-ranked Brumbies are heading to Wellington to play the minor premiers, who have dominated the regular season with an average of over 40 points per game. The Hurricanes previously defeated the Brumbies 45-12 in Christchurch, with power winger Fehi Fineanganofo scoring four tries. However, Fineanganofo is expected to miss the opening qualifying final due to a hamstring injury.
Despite this setback, the Brumbies can draw some confidence from their past performances. They have knocked the Hurricanes out of the playoffs in 2022, 2023, and 2025. Ex-Wallabies halfback Nick Phipps believes the Brumbies have what it takes to win tight matches. He noted that Larkham and his coaching staff will not be satisfied with the regular season loss to the Hurricanes.
Phipps also mentioned that the Brumbies’ set piece and defense are usually strong, with Lord Laurie Fisher playing a crucial role. He believes that the Brumbies need to return to their basics and capitalize on their strengths. “If there’s going to be an upset, this has got to be it,” he said.
The Brumbies have beaten the other four New Zealand teams—Chiefs, Crusaders, Blues, and Highlanders—this season. Phipps is looking forward to the challenge and believes the match will be tighter than the previous encounter.
Insights from Former Players and Analysts
Morgan Turinui, a former player, tipped the Hurricanes to win their first title since 2016. He suggested that the winter conditions in Wellington could be a leveller for the Brumbies. Turinui advised the Brumbies to make the match an arm wrestle, focusing on mauling and close-quarter battles rather than high tempo and chaotic play.
He also recommended promoting breakdown specialist Luke Reimer into the starting lineup. Turinui emphasized the importance of not letting the Hurricanes gain quick ball and suggested that giving up a penalty might be preferable to allowing fast ball.
Turinui believed that the fifth-ranked Reds, with a $8.50 odds to beat the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday, were Australia’s best chance of reaching the semi-finals. This could be Kiss’ last game in charge of Queensland before joining the Wallabies. Turinui described this as the defining match of the Les Kiss era.
The Reds finished the regular season with an 8-6 record after beating the Fijian Drua in Brisbane. Turinui noted that the Reds have the potential to reach great heights but have lacked consistency throughout the season. He believes that the Reds have the capability to go further than the Brumbies but face the challenge of performing consistently in sudden death finals in New Zealand.
Super Rugby Pacific Qualifying Finals Schedule
Friday, June 5
– Hurricanes (1) vs ACT Brumbies (6): 5:05pm kickoff AEST at Henry Stadium, Wellington
Saturday, June 6
– Crusaders (3) vs Blues (4): 2:35pm kickoff AEST at One New Zealand Stadium, Christchurch
– Chiefs (2) vs Queensland Reds (5): 5:05pm kickoff AEST at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Aussie Finals Record in New Zealand
Brumbies: 0/9
– 1997 Final – 23-7 v Blues at Eden Park
– 2002 Final – 31-13 v Crusaders at Lancaster Park
– 2003 Semi-final – 42-21 v Blues at Eden Park
– 2013 Final – 27-22 v Chiefs in Hamilton
– 2015 Semi-final – 29-9 v Hurricanes in Wellington
– 2022 Semi-final – 20-19 v Blues at Eden Park
– 2023 Semi-final – 19-6 v Chiefs in Hamilton
– 2024 Semi-final – 34-20 v Blues at Eden Park
– 2025 Semi-final – 37-17 v Chiefs in Hamilton
Waratahs: 0/6
– 2005 Final – 35-25 v Crusaders at Lancaster Park
– 2006 Semi-final – 16-14 v Hurricanes in Wellington
– 2008 Final – 20-12 v Crusaders at Lancaster Park
– 2011 Quarter-final – 26-13 v Blues at Eden Park
– 2022 Quarter-final – 39-15 v Chiefs in Hamilton
– 2023 Quarter-final – 41-12 v Blues at Eden Park
Reds: 0/5
– 2013 Quarter-final – 38-9 v Crusaders in Christchurch
– 2022 Quarter-final – 37-15 v Crusaders in Christchurch
– 2023 Quarter-final – 29-20 v Chiefs in Hamilton
– 2024 Quarter-final – 43-21 v Chiefs in Hamilton
– 2025 Quarter-final – 32-12 v Crusaders in Christchurch
Rebels: 0/1
– 2024 Quarter-final – 47-20 v Hurricanes in Wellington
