Brumbies enter Super Rugby semis; Can they finally break the New Zealand curse?

The ACT Brumbies have secured their spot in the Super Rugby semi-finals, reigniting hopes of ending their long-standing struggles against New Zealand sides in the playoffs.

After beating the Wellington-based Hurricanes 35-28, the Canberra-based team now faces the ultimate challenge — overcoming a Kiwi opponent, something no Australian team has done in the playoffs for a long time.

The record for Australian teams in playoff matches in New Zealand now stands at 0-20 after the Queensland Reds were beaten 32-12 by the Crusaders in Christchurch.


Despite the odds, the Brumbies carry belief, momentum, and a desire to rewrite history. But the bigger question is - Can they finally break the New Zealand hoodoo and march into the Super Rugby final?

Third consecutive semis for Brumbies

The Brumbies have maintained their position as Australia's sole representative in the playoffs, advancing to the semifinals for the third consecutive season.

The Chiefs will host the Brumbies in Hamilton for the upcoming semifinals, following their narrow 20-19 defeat to the Blues from Auckland, who sealed the contest by converting a try after the full-time siren.

Despite the loss, the Chiefs advanced to the next round as the highest-ranked losing side, though they relinquished their top position to the Crusaders.

Heartbreak for Crusaders!

The contest between the Brumbies and Hurricanes could have been inconsequential if both the Crusaders and Chiefs had won their respective playoff matches. In such a scenario, both teams playing in Canberra would have advanced to the semifinals, either as the victor or as the highest-ranked defeated side.

The Hurricanes' championship aspirations have now been thwarted in Canberra three times in the past four years, following their quarterfinal losses to the Brumbies in 2022 and 2023.

“We didn’t get the job done tonight. That Brumbies team really took it up a notch and showed why they’ve been so successful here,” Hurricanes captain DuPlessis Kirifi said.

“We’re just looking at the Chiefs in Hamilton next week,” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said. “But we’re hoping that the Blues can knock off the Crusaders and we come back here in two weeks for a grand final.”