{"id":602365,"date":"2026-04-12T16:20:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-12T16:20:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/602365\/"},"modified":"2026-04-12T16:20:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T16:20:16","slug":"mad-monday-with-brisneyland-local-104-reds-give-it-to-the-saders-as-the-canes-show-how-it-is-done","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/602365\/","title":{"rendered":"Mad Monday with Brisneyland Local #104: Reds give it to the Saders, as the Canes show how it is done!"},"content":{"rendered":"

What another cracking round that was. With the contenders stepping up, and the pretenders falling away. The Canes are definitely the team to beat, handing a beatdown to top three Northern Island rivals. The Reds shaking a big hoodoo off their back, and sticking it to the Dark Saders. Back to a full round of five matches, so pour yourself a massive \u2615, imbibe it gently and enjoy, and let\u2019s look at the ruggers.<\/p>\n

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Super Rugby Pacific 2026 \u2013 Round 9<\/p>\n

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ACT Brumbies 14 defeated Highlanders 10<\/p>\n

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The Brumbies have done it again. Not pretty, not polished, but when it mattered, they found a way \u2014 and that\u2019s starting to become a habit. Out in the roofed chill of Forsyth Barr Stadium, the ACT Brumbies pinched a 14-10 win over the Highlanders in a game that won\u2019t make the highlight reels, but might just shape their season.<\/p>\n

Coming off a wobbly stretch (and that shocker against the NSW Waratards), this had all the hallmarks of a danger game. And when Charlie Cale was hooked after 26 minutes \u2014 \u201ctactical\u201d, apparently \u2014 you could almost hear Brumbies fans reaching for the stress ball. But here\u2019s the thing about this Brumbies side under Stephen Larkham: they don\u2019t panic, they persist. Even while coughing up a staggering 18 turnovers (yes, you read that correctly, eighteen\u2026), they stayed in the fight. It wasn\u2019t slick, but it was stubborn and ugly.<\/p>\n

Arm wrestle with a pulse \u2013 The first half was a grind. The Highlanders huffed and puffed, the Brumbies bent but didn\u2019t break, and eventually skipper Ryan Lonergan decided enough was enough \u2014 sniping from the ruck to crash over in his 100th cap. Milestone moment, meat-and-potatoes try. Very Brumbies. At 7-3, you felt the visitors had control\u2026 but control is a funny thing in Dunedin. The Highlanders clawed their way back, and when Jona Nareki pulled off the old chip-and-chase special in the 63rd minute, suddenly the locals had their noses in front and the momentum to match.<\/p>\n

Enter chaos: \ud83e\uddc0 and late daggers. Just as the Highlanders looked set to close it out, hooker Henry Bell took a seat on the naughty chair for ten, and the Brumbies did what good teams do \u2014 they pounced. With five to go, Luke Reimer burrowed over, the Brumbies reclaimed the lead, and from there it was all about hanging on. They did. Just.<\/p>\n

The unsung bits \u2013 Plenty won\u2019t show up in the headline stats, but mattered all the same. Corey Toole was busy without breaking the game open, Allan Alaalatoa got through his work on return, and Lachlan Lonergan quietly ticked off his first hit-out of the year. For the hosts, Ethan de Groot tried to drag them over the line, but the finishing touch just wasn\u2019t there.<\/p>\n

Ugly? Yep. Important? Absolutely.<\/p>\n

Three things we learned<\/p>\n

The Brumbies\u2019 DNA is still intact \u2013 Even when the attack misfires and the errors pile up, this side knows how to win tight. Structure, patience, and a bit of late-game nous \u2014 it\u2019s vintage Brumbies.<\/p>\n

Turnover count = ticking time bomb \u2013 You won\u2019t beat the top sides handing over 18 turnovers. This win papers over it, but it\u2019s a problem Stephen Larkham needs sorted fast.<\/p>\n

Highlanders lack a killer edge \u2013 They had field position, momentum, and the lead \u2014 and still let it slip. At this level, that\u2019s the difference between contenders and also-rans.<\/p>\n

Not a classic. Not one for the archives. But for the Brumbies? It might just be the win that steadies the ship.<\/p>\n

Waikato Chiefs 62 defeated Moana Pasifika 17<\/p>\n

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Chiefs turn it into a training run \u2013 Righto, gather round folks, because this one got ugly quicker than a missed tackle on a wet night in Rotorua. The Chiefs didn\u2019t just beat Moana Pasifika \u2014 they gave them a full 80-minute lesson in how to play footy at tempo, racking up a cricket score in a 62\u201317 demolition job. And at the centre of it all? Quinn Tupaea and Kyren Taumoefolau, who were about as subtle as a brick through a window.<\/p>\n

Tupaea, who\u2019s playing like a bloke with a point to prove (and then some), bagged a double and threw in a couple of assists for good measure. Everywhere you looked, there he was \u2014 crashing lines, linking plays, generally being a menace. If there were three of him, Moana might still be trying to tackle the other two. Out wide, Taumoefolau wasn\u2019t exactly taking a backward step either, nabbing a brace of his own and causing all sorts of grief with the ball in hand. The pair combined like they\u2019d been playing backyard footy together since they were five.<\/p>\n

Early dominance sets the tone \u2013 It didn\u2019t take long for the pain to start. Taumoefolau sparked things with a lovely offload that sent Liam Coombes-Fabling through, and from there Tupaea chimed in to finish the job. Blink, and you\u2019d missed it \u2014 7-zip. Then it was rinse and repeat. Tupaea turned provider, Damian McKenzie started pulling strings, and Samipeni Finau crashed over. Before Moana could catch their breath, it was 19-0 and looking ominous.<\/p>\n

To their credit, Moana Pasifika had their chances. Big prop Paula Latu got agonisingly close \u2014 twice \u2014 only to be held up over the line in desperate goal-line defence from the Chiefs. That was about as good as it got. Just to rub salt into the wound, Tupaea grabbed his second before oranges. 26-0. Game effectively over.<\/p>\n

When it rains, it pours \u2013 If things weren\u2019t already grim, the 28th minute summed up Moana\u2019s night perfectly. Tom Savage, bloodied and battered, was pinged and sent to the naughty wall after a head clash. Down a man, down on the scoreboard \u2014 and down on luck. Meanwhile, McKenzie was quietly ticking off milestones like a bloke completing a shopping list. Two tries, 1,500 Super Rugby points, and now the all-time leading try scorer with 44. Not a bad night\u2019s work. He\u2019s now breathing down the necks of Morne Steyn and Beauden Barrett on the all-time points list \u2014 though Dan Carter can probably still sleep easy for now.<\/p>\n

Consolation prizes only \u2013 Moana finally got on the board through former Chief Solomon Alaimalo, courtesy of a tidy kick-and-chase. A nice moment \u2014 but about as impactful as bringing a spoon to a knife fight. The Chiefs responded immediately (of course they did), with Taumoefolau grabbing his second and Josh Jacomb chiming in to push things past 50. A couple of late tries gave the scoreboard a slightly more respectable look for Moana, but let\u2019s not kid ourselves \u2014 this was one-way traffic from the get-go. Shaun Stevenson (yes, him again) iced things with the final say.<\/p>\n

What it means \u2013 The bonus point win keeps the Chiefs firmly in the hunt, briefly nudging them to the top before the big dogs slug it out later in the round. Next up: a proper test against the Hurricanes. For Moana Pasifika, it\u2019s back to the drawing board \u2014 and probably a few ice baths \u2014 before facing the Waratahs.<\/p>\n

Three things we learned<\/p>\n

Tupaea is back \u2014 and then some \u2013 Injuries? What injuries? Tupaea is playing like a man possessed. Strong, direct, and now adding playmaking touches \u2014 he\u2019s become the complete midfielder and a genuine game-breaker.<\/p>\n

The Chiefs don\u2019t need much to hurt you \u2013 Give them half a chance \u2014 or half a gap \u2014 and they\u2019ll punish you. Their ability to turn small moments into seven-pointers is what separates contenders from pretenders.<\/p>\n

Moana\u2019s effort is there, execution isn\u2019t \u2013 They had opportunities, especially early, but couldn\u2019t convert. Against top sides like the Chiefs, that\u2019s a death sentence. Close isn\u2019t good enough at this level.<\/p>\n

Fiji Drua 19 defeated Western Force 17<\/p>\n

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The Western Force has done it again. Snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, packed it in their carry-on, and flew it straight back from Fiji. In a game that had just about everything\u2014big hits, bigger momentum swings, and a finish that\u2019ll haunt kickers everywhere\u2014the Force went down 24\u201322 to the Fijian Drua in Lautoka. And yes, before you ask, the Zac Lomax rugby union experiment has officially begun\u2026 just not with a fairytale ending.<\/p>\n

The former NRL poster boy turned up for his first proper run in the XV-man code, injected off the pine on the hour mark, and to be fair, looked like he belonged. Lomax clocked up 40 metres and sliced through the line a couple of times like a bloke who\u2019s spent years running at tired defensive lines on a Friday night. But this isn\u2019t league, and fairy tales don\u2019t come with conversion guarantees.<\/p>\n

The Force started like they\u2019d actually read the team sheet and noticed the Drua had just come off three straight losses. With Etonia Waqa in the bin early, Misinale Epenisa crashed over, and things were looking suspiciously professional from the men in blue.<\/p>\n

Naturally, that didn\u2019t last. The Drua, as they do at home, flicked the chaos switch, and suddenly the Force were hanging on for dear life. Penaia Cakobau barged over, Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula chimed in, and Isikeli Rabitu finished off a bit of Harlem Globetrotters-style ball movement to make it 19\u20137 at oranges. Lautoka was bouncing, and the Force looked like they\u2019d been dropped into a different sport. To their credit, they didn\u2019t fold.<\/p>\n

Dylan Pietsch strolled over after a lovely bit of touch from Bayley Kuenzle, and Jeremy Williams did the tight-five equivalent of a slow-motion car crash over the line to drag it back to a two-point game. Momentum? Back with the Force. Composure? Briefly sighted. Then came that moment.<\/p>\n

Kurtley \u2018I am a disgrace\u2019 Beale, playing the role of the alleged veteran calm head, threw a pass that had \u201cplease don\u2019t\u201d written all over it. Isikeli Basiyalo read it like a children\u2019s book, picked it off, and legged it downfield to break Force hearts and probably a few defensive structures along the way.<\/p>\n

Still, because this is the Force in 2026, they found one last twist. With Ilaisa Droasese cooling his heels in the bin with a serve of\ud83e\uddc0, Will Harris rumbled over from a maul to bring it back within touching distance. Two shots to win it. Two. Beale missed the conversion. Ben Donaldson, from range, had the final say. And let\u2019s just say it wasn\u2019t his finest contact.<\/p>\n

That was the Ball game. Season (almost) gone. Meanwhile, the Drua keep their perfect home record against the Force intact, and more importantly, gave their fans something to cheer about after a rough week dealing with Cyclone Vaianu. If you\u2019re going to respond to adversity, doing it with a last-ditch intercept try is a pretty solid way to go about it.<\/p>\n

Three things we learned<\/p>\n

The Force are their own worst enemy \u2013 They had field position, momentum, and enough chances to ice this twice over. But poor decisions (looking at you, Beale, and your intercept pass) and unreliable goal-kicking continue to undo all the good work.<\/p>\n

Lomax looks the part\u2014but this isn\u2019t league \u2013 Zac Lomax showed enough to suggest he\u2019ll be a weapon in time. Strong carries, clean breaks, no panic. But rugby union\u2019s a different beast\u2014moments, not metres, win games.<\/p>\n

Never trust a Drua home game to follow the script \u2013 Up, down, sideways\u2014playing the Drua in Fiji is chaos rugby at its finest. If you\u2019re not ready for broken play, offloads, and crowd-fuelled momentum swings, you\u2019re already in trouble before kickoff.<\/p>\n

Hurricanes 42 defeated Blues 19<\/p>\n

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Capital Punishment: \u2018Canes put the comp on notice in Blues belting \u2013 Well, well, well. If you were still wondering whether the Hurricanes are the real deal in 2026, you can probably stop now. In a damp old Wellington evening, they didn\u2019t just beat the Blues \u2014 they made a bit of a statement while doing it. Final score: 42-19, and honestly, it never quite felt that close.<\/p>\n

From the opening whistle, the \u2018Canes looked like a side that had skipped the small talk and gone straight to business. Enter Callum Harkin, who decided four minutes was more than enough time to make an impression. A sharp line, a clean break, and bang \u2014 first points on the board. Too easy. Not long after, Billy Proctor chimed in, diving over as the home side flexed their early dominance. At 14-0, the Blues looked like they\u2019d just walked into the wrong pub on the wrong night.<\/p>\n

To their credit, the visitors weren\u2019t there just to make up the numbers. Playing with a bit of emotion \u2014 and some questionable hair decisions \u2014 in honour of their retired mate, they found a response through AJ Lam. Then some slick hands (shoutout to Codemeru Vai) sent Caleb Clarke over in the corner, and suddenly it was game on at 14-12.<\/p>\n

Cue the Hurricanes remembering who they are \u2013 A sniping break from Cam Roigard \u2014 who is rapidly becoming everyone\u2019s least favourite opposition halfback \u2014 opened things up again, with Fehi Fineanganofo finishing it off. That gave the \u2018Canes a bit of breathing room at the break, 21-12, and you got the sense they had another gear (or three) to go.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, Asafo Aumua came out after oranges and did what Asafo Aumua does: latch onto a rolling maul and treat defenders like minor inconveniences. Try time, and the gap widens. Roigard then put on a kicking clinic \u2014 the kind that makes wingers look good, and opposition backfields look nervous. Contestables, grubbers, pressure \u2014 it was all there. The Blues were hanging on, just.<\/p>\n

Then, just as things threatened to turn into a full-blown procession, Fineanganofo saw yellow for a high shot on Mason Tupaea, and the momentum swung harder than a pub door in a cyclone. The Blues piled on, with Malachi Wrampling crashing over to keep things interesting. But \u2014 and here\u2019s the difference between contenders and pretenders \u2014 the Hurricanes didn\u2019t panic.<\/p>\n

Instead, Harkin popped up again, scooping a kind deflection off Ruben Love\u2019s grubber to grab his second and effectively shut the gate. Roigard then iced the cake with a cheeky quick-tap try, because of course he did. Game, set, statement made! And just quietly, with the Chiefs hopping over the Blues on the ladder, next week\u2019s clash is shaping up as a proper heavyweight bout.<\/p>\n

Three things we learned<\/p>\n

The Hurricanes are the real deal (like, properly) \u2013 This wasn\u2019t just a win \u2014 it was a controlled demolition of one of the competition heavyweights. Structure, flair, and a bit of mongrel. Finals footy is coming, and they look ready.<\/p>\n

Cam Roigard is running the show \u2013 Sniping runs, pinpoint kicking, and that instinct for chaos \u2014 Roigard is playing like a bloke who knows the Wallabies selectors aren\u2019t watching (and is loving it). Seriously influential performance.<\/p>\n

The Blues can score\u2026 but can they control? \u2013 When they get front-foot ball, they\u2019re dangerous. But they struggled to manage territory and tempo when the heat came. Against top sides, that\u2019s the difference between hanging in and getting handled.<\/p>\n

Queensland Reds 31 defeated The Crusaders 26<\/p>\n

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Reds break the curse\u2026 but at what cost? \u2013 Well, would you look at that. The Queensland Reds have finally exorcised a demon that\u2019s been hanging around longer than a dodgy Caxton Street kebab, knocking over the Crusaders 31\u201326 at Suncorp Stadium. Yep \u2014 first win over the red-and-black menace in Brisbane since that glorious night back in 2011. Somewhere, ghosts of Quade, Genia, Digby and Horwill were nodding approvingly from the corporate boxes. But before we get too carried away with talk of parades down Caxton Street, there\u2019s a rather large ice pack-shaped cloud hovering over this one.<\/p>\n

Gordon goes down, Reds hold on \u2013 The big moment \u2014 and not in a good way \u2014 came just after halftime when Carter Gordon limped off clutching his right knee. The young ten had been growing nicely into the season, and with a brutal run of top-four sides coming up, losing him would be about as welcome as a forward pass in golden point. He left the ground in a brace and on crutches. Not ideal. Not ideal at all. And yet, somehow, the Reds found a way.<\/p>\n

Daugunu brings the chaos (again) \u2013 If you\u2019re looking for a headline act, step right up, Filipo Daugunu \u2014 100 games and still playing like he\u2019s been shot out of a cannon. 120 metres, a try, and about a dozen moments where Crusaders defenders were left grasping at thin Brisbane air. The bloke was everywhere. Late in the game, with tension thick enough to spread on toast, Daugunu scooped up a loose ball and powered over to give the Reds breathing room. Not quite the knockout blow \u2014 but close enough.<\/p>\n

Arm wrestle turns into a street fight \u2013 This wasn\u2019t pretty. This was proper Super Rugby trench warfare. The Crusaders, missing Will Jordan, still managed to strike early through Christian Lio-Willie after a slick bit of work from Johnny McNicholl. The Reds hit back through Fraser McReight and Gordon, before the visitors answered again via Chay Fihaki.<\/p>\n

Back and forth it went \u2014 mauls, kicks, turnovers, the occasional bit of chaos \u2014 until Kalani Thomas sparked things early in the second half, setting up Tim Ryan with a cheeky grubber. The Crusaders, being the Crusaders, refused to go away. George Bell burrowed over, and suddenly we were all biting fingernails again.<\/p>\n

Werchon seals it (just quietly\u2026) \u2013 With the game wobbling on a knife\u2019s edge, on came Louis Werchon. And fair dinkum \u2014 what a cameo. Loose ball. Open field. Fifty metres of \u201cdon\u2019t argue, see you later.\u201d Try time. Game (mostly) over. Fihaki crossed after the siren to make the scoreline look a touch kinder for the visitors, but let\u2019s be honest \u2014 the Reds had done enough.<\/p>\n

Finals picture: suddenly very interesting \u2013 At 5\u20133, the Reds are right in the mix. Properly in it. The Crusaders? Sitting at 4\u20134 and looking\u2026 mortal. Which is not something we say often. But for Queensland, this one\u2019s about more than ladder positions. It\u2019s about belief. It\u2019s about finally proving they can knock off the big dogs. Now they just need their No.10 to be walking, preferably without crutches.<\/p>\n

Three things we learned<\/p>\n

The hoodoo is dead \u2014 long live belief \u2013 Beating the Crusaders isn\u2019t just another tick in the win column. For the Reds, this is psychological gold. They now know they can do it \u2014 and that matters come finals time.<\/p>\n

Filipo Daugunu is pure X-factor chaos \u2013 You can coach structure all week, but you can\u2019t coach whatever Daugunu does. He breaks games open, and the Reds need that unpredictability if they\u2019re going deep this season.<\/p>\n

Carter Gordon\u2019s knee could define the season \u2013 This is the big one. If Gordon misses serious time, the Reds\u2019 attack loses direction and composure. With a tough run ahead, his fitness might be the difference between a finals footnote and a genuine contender.<\/p>\n

The Super Rugby Pacific ladder<\/p>\n

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The ladder is now shaking itself out into those who will definitely make the finals, and those who now have two chances: Buckleys and none. The Canes are definitely the team to beat, but are more likely to be the team that hands out a beatdown. The Chiefs and the Blues are hanging on, but after this weekend\u2019s game, where the Blues got pantsed, it is hard to see any team beating the Canes.<\/p>\n

The Reds and the Brumbies are hanging on in there, within striking distance of the Chiefs and Blues, but the next few rounds will be telling for them. Anyway GAGRs! Enough of me gibbering shite. Over to you! Have at it!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What another cracking round that was. With the contenders stepping up, and the pretenders falling away. The Canes…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":602366,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[567],"tags":[64,63,44,1721,228,760,85,29898],"class_list":{"0":"post-602365","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rugby","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-opinion","12":"tag-review","13":"tag-rugby","14":"tag-sports","15":"tag-super-rugby"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/602365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=602365"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/602365\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/602366"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=602365"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=602365"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=602365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}