High-scoring games for Super Rugby Pacific in Round 2
- Sanzaar Media
- 12 hours ago
- 8 min read
The Brumbies’ power caused a massive upset in round two of Super Rugby Pacific with a Sunday afternoon dazzler seeing the defending champion Crusaders beaten 50-24 in Christchurch.
That leaves the Crusaders winless to date, but for the Brumbies, it was their first win against the Crusaders in New Zealand since 2000, and it was their second-best effort against them, having won 51-16 in 2001. It was the third consecutive game the Brumbies have scored more than 30 points against the Crusaders. Most importantly, in terms of the competition, it was the fifth consecutive time the Brumbies have won away from home.
Hurricanes 52, Moana Pasifika 10
Putting their first round behind them, the Hurricanes may have conceded the first try to Moana Pasifika but that was their only try, as the Hurricanes posted eight, wing Josh Moorby achieving a hat-trick, fellow wing Fehi Fineanganofo and No 8 Brayden Iose two and centre Billy Proctor one. Yet, satisfying as the win was for coach Clark Laidlaw, the loss of first five-eighths Brett Cameron to an apparent knee injury, on the opposite knee to the ACL he suffered last year, was disappointing. “He worked so hard last year to do a five-and-a-half-month return from the ACL. He’s in great condition, had an awesome preseason and has been leading the team really well. It’s a hammer blow to him.”
The Hurricanes enjoyed a 24-5 half-time advantage, and with such a strong defensive showing, control in the line-outs (where newcomer Warner Dearns excelled), dominance in the scrums and pace on the flanks, the home team were untroubled by all that the inexperienced Moana Pasifika side could throw at them. Moana Pasifika coach Tana Umaga said his side was not as ruthless in its skill set and that its kicking game was not as good as in its first-round win over the Drua. Fielding eight debutants was beneficial and the coaching staff learned plenty about those players. “It’s only at this level that you’ll learn a lot around what they need to do to be better at Super Rugby.”
Waratahs 36, Drua 13
Flanker Charlie Gamble made light of the heavy defence in the goalmouth to pick up the ball at speed from the base of a ruck and skip past Drua players in a flash to open the scoring. Six minutes later, the Drua responded with a line-out take, quick hands and a long pass to wing Taniela Rakuro, who scored in the corner. But the only remaining points the Drua scored were from two penalties, one in each half, which wasn’t enough. Wing Max Jorgensen hinted at second-half concerns when, with four minutes left in the first, he swivelled his hips to get room down the outside and run in a try for the Waratahs to lead 14-10 at the break.
Replacement hooker Ioane Moananu marked his debut for the Waratahs by scoring, with a low drive over the line, from his first touch of the ball, eight minutes into the half. Replacement lock Angus Blyth benefited from the Drua not securing a box kick 10 minutes later, while Moananu, off the back of a line-out maul, scored his second in the 61st minute and 45 seconds from the end, Jorgensen benefited from more lead-up work by No 8 Pete Samu, to follow a kick ahead to score with hectares of unchallenged space.
Highlanders 23, Chiefs 26
A blistering start at Forsyth Barr Stadium saw quick hands from No 8 Lucas Casey and wing Caleb Tangitau put wing Jona Nareki in space to score the first try against the Chiefs. But the Chiefs went to the line-out maul in the eighth minute for hooker Samison Taukei’aho to score in response. But after 33 minutes, misery for the Highlanders when flanker Sean Withy was unable to pull in a cross-kick to the in-goal from first five-eighths Cameron Millar. The ball was still in play as Chiefs second five-eighths Quinn Tupaea took a quick drop out, recovered it, ran into space, then fed wing Leroy Carter into a 50-metre to score a turnaround try and a half-time lead of 14-7.
Two Millar penalties got the Highlanders within a point but a pull on halfback Folau Fakatava’s arm out from an attacking ruck saw Chiefs lock Josh Lord pick up the ball and race into open spaces. He ran 50m, dummying this way and that before passing inside to locking partner Tupou Vaa’i, who was tackled short of the line where defender Nareki was sin-binned. The Chiefs failed to score in his 10-minute absence, with two tries ruled out but the second he returned, the Highlanders failed to control the ball at a line-out five metres from the line and Taukei’aho scored his second in the 62nd minute. Then a maul, five minutes later and a similar distance from the line, saw replacement flanker Kaylum Boshier extend the lead with a try. A kick to centerfield by Chiefs first five-eighths Josh Jacomb was fielded by fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens. He fed a flying Tangitau who didn’t have a hand laid on him in a 50m run to the line. A consolation loser’s bonus point was achieved after the hooter when replacement loose forward Veveni Lasaqa scored out wide.
Force 32, Blues 42
Achieving their desired start against the Force in Joondalup, Perth, the Blues took six minutes to demonstrate their hard core, which was able to cause problems for the home defence. Prop Josh Fusitu’a powered his way over the line for the opening try. The Force had their own contenders in the tight as prop Harry Johnson-Holmes showed similar ability six minutes later. The loss of hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa to the sin bin did the Force no favours and first five-eighths Stephen Perofeta benefited after the penalty when capping a series of forward drives with the simplest of tries. Try scorer supreme Carlo Tizzano got one back for the Force after the Blues conceded ball from a length-of-the-field move, only to turn the ball over and concede a 50:22 kick and line-out play, just before half-time.
But with focus resumed, it was only 90 seconds before a blindside move saw flanker Dalton Papali’i give fullback Zarn Sullivan room down the sideline to run in an uncontested try. Problems with the strong wind behind them proved troublesome with long kicks going dead, but with the Force back within a point. Strong runs by centre AJ Lam and lock Josh Beehre allowed replacement flanker Torian Barnes to charge over in the 53rd minute to put eight points between the sides. That was backed up five minutes later with a charge from wing Caleb Clarke into the goalmouth, setting up fast ball for wing Cole Forbes to score. Beehre added to it in the 69th minute to extinguish hopes of a home comeback through tries to wing Bayley Kuenzle and Donaldson.
Crusaders 24, Brumbies 50
An eighth-minute opening try for the Crusaders proved a false dawn for the home team in Christchurch. Skipper David Havili showed his power in getting across after a line-out maul, but the Brumbies showed telling patience in their buildup to their 19th-minute response as fullback Andy Muirhead charged into the line to take a short pass from halfback Ryan Lonergan at a ruck to break the defence to score. Hooker George Bell had a reward for his support running line to race 30m after wing Chay Fihaki had run onto a kick ahead to provide the impetus before Bell was on hand to score. But anything Bell could do, Brumbies prop James Slipper in his 200th Super Rugby game, was in support after a Muirhead bust to get the ball and score. A try three minutes from the break to No 8 Charlie Cale off a five-metre scrum gave the visitors a 19-14 half-time lead.
The Crusaders, who had already had lock Antonio Shalfoon in the sin bin, couldn’t take advantage when the Brumbies lost lock Caderyn Neville to the bin and it was the Brumbies, through centre Kadin Pritchard getting his hands on a kick ahead to run away and extend the lead, who took control. Wing Sevu Reece finally scored to get the Crusaders back in touch but down to 13 active players, with Muirhead being treated for a jaw injury, the Brumbies still managed to use the short side to see Cale run away for his second. Home flanker Dom Gardiner was sin-binned for the Muirhead incident but replacement wing Leicester Fainga’anuku kept them in the hunt with a try with 13 minutes left. However, the final say was with the Brumbies as replacement hooker Liam Bowron, flanker Rob Valetini and wing Corey Toole crossed in the final 10 minutes to rub salt into the Crusaders’ wounds.
NSW Waratahs star Max Jorgensen has taken solo top spot after the second round of the Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year voting.
Jorgensen backed up his maximum point haul from Round 1 to claim six votes after the Waratahs' victory over the Fijian Drua, scoring a double.
He faces stiff competition, with ACT Brumbies back-rower Charlie Cale closely behind, while Chiefs centre Quinn Tupaea was the highest scorer from the round with eight votes.
The captains and head coaches of both teams nominate their top three players from the opposing team each week, allocating three votes, two votes, and one vote, respectively.
On top of this, the Player of the Year voting process has been bolstered for the upcoming season, with a panel of respected rugby media identities from across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji assembled to contribute votes on each game.
Player of the Year votes from each round will be announced on the competition website and social media channels each Tuesday, until the voting goes behind closed doors following Round 10.
Here is how they voted
Hurricanes v Moana Pasifika
7 - Fehi Fineanganofo (HUR)
5 - Patrick Pellegrini (MOA), Josh Moorby (HUR)
4 - Tuna Tuitama (MOA)
3 - Brayden Iose (HUR)
2 - Miracle Faiilagi (MOA), Jordie Barrett (HUR)
1 - Callum Harkin (HUR), Samieula Moli (MOA)
NSW Waratahs v Fijian Drua
6 - Max Jorgensen (NSW), Isikeli Rabitu (FJI)
5 - Charlie Gamble (NSW), Matt Philip (NSW)
3 - Frank Lomani (FJI)
2 - Motikai Murray (FJI)
1 - Taniela Rakuro (FJI), Jake Gordon (NSW), Pete Samu (NSW)
Highlanders v Chiefs
8 - Quinn Tupaea (CHI)
5 - Timoci Tavatavanawai (HIG), Samisoni Taukei’aho (CHI)
3 - Caleb Tangitau (HIG), Jona Nareki (HIG)
2 - Kalyum Boshier (CHI)
1 - Cameron Millar (HIG), Leroy Carter (CHI), Simon Parker (CHI), Folau Fakatava (HIG)
Western Force v Blues
4 - Zarn Sullivan (BLU), Dalton Papali’i (BLU)
3 - Ben Donaldson (FOR), Nathan Hastie (FOR), AJ Lam (BLU), Josh Beehre (BLU)
2 - Vaiolini Ekuasi (FOR), Caleb Clarke (BLU), Mac Grealy (FOR), Jeremy Williams (FOR)
1 - Torian Barnes (BLU), Anton Segner (BLU)
Crusaders v ACT Brumbies
6 - Charlie Cale (BRU), Ryan Lonergan (BRU)
3 - Will Jordan (CRU), Andy Muirhead (BRU), George Bell (CRU)
2 - Jamie Hannah (CRU), Dom Gardiner (CRU), Kadin Pritchard (BRU)
1 - Ethan Blackadder (CRU), Chay Fihaki (CRU), James Slipper (BRU)
Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year Round Two
15 - Max Jorgensen
13 - Charlie Cale
12 - Quinn Tupaea
11 - Miracle Faiilagi
9 - Caleb Tanigtau, Charlie Gamble, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ryan Lonergan
8 - Will Jordan, Timoci Tavatavanawai, Ben Donaldson
Five players on seven votes.
In Round 3: The unbeaten ACT Brumbies play their first match at home when they host the Blues; the unbeaten Chiefs host the winless Crusaders in a rematch of the 2025 Grand Final; the Reds and Fijian Drua will be seeking their first wins when they play at home against the Highlanders and Hurricanes respectively.
Fixtures
Friday (All times local - home team)
Moana Pasifika v Western Force @ Navigation Homes Stadium, Pukekohe (7.05pm)
Queensland Reds v Highlanders @ Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane (6.35pm)
Saturday
Fijian Drua v Hurricanes @ Churchill Park, Lautoka (3.35pm)
Chiefs v Crusaders @ FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton (7.05pm)
ACT Brumbies v Blues @ GIO Stadium, Canberra (7.35pm)
BYE: NSW Waratahs
Meanwhile, the front row of the Super Rugby Legends XV is already starting to take shape, with Keven Mealamu confirmed as the winning hooker following fan voting.
The Blues great now joins loosehead prop Wyatt Crockett as the second official inductee into the Legends XV, as fans continue to celebrate the players who have defined Super Rugby across generations.
With hooker locked in, attention now turns to the final front-row position.
Voting is now open to decide the tighthead prop in the Super Rugby Legends XV, with another stacked field of front-row enforcers nominated from across the competition’s history.
The tighthead prop nominees are:
Tom Robertson (Force)
Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies)
Taniela Tupou (Reds)
Sekope Kepu (Waratahs)
Sekope Kepu (Moana Pasifika)
Manasa Saulo (Drua)
Carl Hayman (Highlanders)
Owen Franks (Crusaders)
Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes)
Ben Tameifuna (Chiefs)
Olo Brown (Blues)
Takuma Asahara (Wildcard)
From set-piece specialists to destructive ball carriers, fans now have another tough decision to make as the Super Rugby Legends XV front row nears completion.
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