![\"Patrick](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4742cc89aa2345079ca5fd4183956c2f.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nIt is Super Rugby Pacific’s equivalent of a Mission: Impossible film plot line.<\/p>\n
If the Brumbies and Reds are to keep their respective seasons alive, they must create history by becoming the first Australian teams to win a final in New Zealand since Super Rugby’s professional era began in 1996.<\/p>\n
As it stands, Australian franchises have a combined 0-21 win-loss record when facing New Zealand opponents in play-off matches across the Tasman.<\/p>\n
The Brumbies meet the top-ranked Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday night, while the Reds play the second-placed Chiefs on their home deck in Hamilton the following evening.<\/p>\n
New Zealand is a daunting road trip at the best of times, let alone in a sudden-death final.<\/p>\n
But only last week, the Brumbies were a chance of avoiding the scenario in the opening week of the play-offs.<\/p>\n
At the beginning of the final round of the regular season, the Brumbies knew they could finish as high as third on the standings.<\/p>\n
A top-three finish would have guaranteed a home qualifying final, although they needed to secure a bonus-point win over Moana Pasifika and rely on other results to go their way.<\/p>\n
Once the full-time whistle was blown in their 21-19 loss to Moana at Canberra Stadium on Saturday afternoon, however, the Brumbies found themselves sitting in sixth place.<\/p>\n
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The Brumbies could not stop Moana Pasifika at Canberra Stadium. (Getty Images: Mark Nolan)<\/p>\n
A defeat to the Hurricanes, who have not lost at home this season, will end the Brumbies’ campaign.<\/p>\n
The Brumbies only have themselves to blame for being on the cusp of elimination as they lost matches they were expected to win, highlighted by the 3-4 win-loss return they posted at Canberra Stadium.<\/p>\n
To the credit of the Brumbies, they did win two of the three matches they played in New Zealand, including a 50-24 victory over the defending champion Crusaders.<\/p>\n
But the one loss they registered was against the Hurricanes, who convincingly won 45-12 when the two sides met in Christchurch as part of Super Round.<\/p>\n
Sensibly, Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham instructed his players to “flush” out the disappointment of the Moana result as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n
But there were lessons to take away from the shock defeat, with Brumbies fullback Tom Wright telling Stan Sport his side’s physicality was “not up to scratch”.<\/p>\n
If the Brumbies are any hope of defeating the Hurricanes, they must dominate the collisions on both sides of the ball.<\/p>\n
They will be punished if they allow the Hurricanes to win the physical contest.<\/p>\n
Larkham cited the Brumbies’ misfiring line-out against Moana among the reasons for the defeat, with the home side losing five of their 15 throws.<\/p>\n
Their line-out also let them down when they lost to the Hurricanes in April.<\/p>\n
Larkham said the set-piece would be worked upon at training, with the Brumbies mindful they cannot give the Hurricanes any advantage.<\/p>\n
Reds face stiff challenge<\/p>\n
When the Reds met the Chiefs in round 13 at Lang Park, they valiantly pushed last year’s runner-up in a 31-21 loss.<\/p>\n
Honourable defeats mean little, though, and the Reds do not need reminding of how tough it is to beat the Chiefs, or any New Zealand team, in the play-offs.<\/p>\n
They lost to the Waikato-based franchise in the opening week of the finals in 2023 and 2024, and suffered the same fate against the Crusaders in Christchurch twice during the past five seasons.<\/p>\n
It is no surprise Reds skipper Fraser McReight referred to a “hoodoo” earlier this week when chatting to reporters about his side’s finals record in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
![\"Harry](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/172e3f57b00ae196a7e34f3cf3028a56.jpeg\")
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The Reds lost to the Chiefs when they faced off earlier this season. (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)<\/p>\n
The Reds, who finished fifth on the standings, enter the play-offs on the back of wins against Moana (33-31) and Fijian Drua (45-24), but neither performance could be described as an 80-minute effort.<\/p>\n
They coughed up a 21-5 lead in the Drua match to trail 24-21 early in the second half, prior to finishing with a flourish via four unanswered tries.<\/p>\n
The Chiefs will pounce if the Reds experience a similar lapse in concentration.<\/p>\n
![\"Jake](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/24aa24f24d073e1586b8505d9bce15b9.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Harry](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1c5409bcfacd355834236e1c8bbc7532.jpeg\")
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