Super Rugby Download: Brumbies play spoiler as race to trans-Tasman final heats up

The penultimate round of Super Rugby trans-Tasman featured another win for an Aussie team, some other close results, plus a pushover scrum try.

Now that's a throwback.

So, who's in line for the final, as the last round approaches?

Let's run a fine-tooth comb over this week's action and find out.

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Crusaders 29, Force 21

Forget walking into the lion's den, the Force came out firing in their contest against the heavily favoured Crusaders.

Force winger Toni Pulu cut them to shreds in the third minute, to get the team from Perth off to a flier.

It was just a shame they couldn't maintain the roll they were on and Pulu had an unfortunate ankle roll, which is not something to watch in slow motion, if you are queasy.

Once again the Force threatened for sustained periods, but turnovers or penalties at critical moments mean that the ruthless Crusaders were never truly threatened.

But the final try to Jordan Olowofela was a piece of genius that squashed any hope the home side had of a bonus point, which could prove costly in the final standings.

Call it a fly in the ointment moment.

READ MORE: Mistakes cruel Rebels' hopes of first trans-Tasman win

READ MORE: Hurricanes star's heartbreak hands Brumbies shock victory

READ MORE: Frustrating Waratahs let early dominance go to waste

Blues 31, Reds 24

It was a battle of the colours on Friday night, as the table-topping Blues marched into Brisbane to take on a Reds team buoyed by their first win a week earlier.

The players may have needed a slightly longer recovery session too, because it was very physical indeed.

You get the impression that Reds duo Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Harry Wilson would be willing to run through brick walls, which is just as well, because that's what they were virtually doing for a lot of the game.

Wilson grabbed a well taken first try, but a Brandon Paenga-Amosa sin-binning took the wind out of the home side's sails.

The Blues were just too good from there – especially when they didn't have the ball, with their suffocating defence really making things hard for Brad Thorn's men.

A bright spot for the Reds was the introduction of highly touted prospect Mac Grealy at fullback.

Despite getting an 11th hour call up to replace James O'Connor, Grealy showed little signs of nerves and really did look as though he belonged at Super Rugby level, with some wonderful catches of the high ball and elusiveness with ball in hand.

A very nice start indeed.

Highlanders 59, Waratahs 23

If you look up the word "sadness" in the dictionary, there should be a photo of Michael Cheika reviewing the Waratahs' performances in 2021.

The heavy heart of the former Tahs coach was evident as the New South Welshman conceded north of 40 points for the seventh time this season against the Highlanders.

Even an attacking lineup with the likes of Bernard Foley, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers would struggle to overcome defensive frailties that glaring, but with just one game left, there is at least an end in sight for Waratahs fans.

Amid all the doom and gloom, the play of prop Angus Bell has been very steady, with solid work at set piece and some real potency with ball in hand, which will surely have him lined up for higher honours in a month's time.

Oui, oui.

Brumbies 12, Hurricanes 10

No team in the trans-Tasman competition was more worthy of a special home game than the Brumbies.

After being on the road since the heartbreaking AU final in Brisbane, it felt like an age since the wild horses had galloped out in front of the GIO Stadium faithful.

The first half was full of exciting attack and rock solid defence, as the Hurricanes and Brumbies went toe-to-toe.

But as the game wore on, it started to look more like the game that neither side wanted to win.

Either that or the conditions in the nation's capital simply froze both teams from playing their natural game.

Apart from a few small patches, neither team really threatened to score tries in the second spell, with a piece of Len Ikitau magic ultimately proving to be the difference.

The missed Jordie Barrett penalty kick on fulltime brought back memories of other games this year that have come down to a final shot at goal, including the Brumbies' 31-29 loss to the Crusaders.

So, like they say - a win's a win - and this was a special one, on a night of Pasifika celebration in Canberra.

Chiefs 36, Rebels 26

Leichhardt Oval, home of rugby?

Thanks to COVID-19, the inner west Sydney suburb is going to get more round robin games than every team's home ground, bar Eden Park.

The Chiefs were re-routed last week to take on the Rebels and the Crusaders will follow suit this week.

And Sunday was a good afternoon of footy, with an old-school throwback play, as the Rebels scored a pushover scrum try.

To make it even better, it was against the feed!

Isi Naisarani, who has had a wretched run of injuries and suspensions this season, was an absolute force.

Finishing with two tries and a number of strong runs, he really showed out in front of Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who watched on from the stands.

For the 'home team' Chiefs, Anton Lienert-Brown was almost untouchable in the first half – grabbing two tries of his own and tearing the Rebels defence to shreds.

This was probably not the sort of form Rennie wanted to see, from one of his former Chiefs charges.

In the end, the Chiefs held a few too many cards for the Rebels, who now have a "home" game of their own next week at the same venue.