Moana Pasifika

It was as if the early red card to their skipper galvanised the hosts, whose tough debut season ended on quite the high note.

As for the Brumbies, it’s fourth place instead of third, still a home quarterfinal, but a third loss on the trot going into those finals. Not least against a team backing up from Tuesday’s loss to the Force, and certainly not when Kepu was given his marching orders in the 11th minute for his high tackle on Andy Muirhead. 9/10: For a game which offered so little, it over-delivered in spades. After the one-man-up Brumbies struck early from a lineout drive, things looked rather ominous for the hosts. It got worse for the visitors. It was a third-straight defeat for a side which had been looking title contenders.

The Brumbies will be out to build some momentum ahead of the quarter-finals, heading to Auckland to face Moana Pasifika.

Desperate to soak up time and take any points on offer while down on troops, the Brumbies resorted to a drop goal from Lolesio early in the second half to reduce the deficit to 19-10. Worse was to come for the Brumbies, with the visitors reduced to 13 men after McInerney and flanker Jahrome Brown were both yellow carded in the space of two minutes either side of Moana being awarded a penalty try on the stroke of halftime. The Brumbies wasted little cashing in on their one-man advantage with Connal McInerney finishing off a driving maul and Noah Lolesio converting for a 7-0 lead. It was sloppy stuff and Moana made them pay, despite Kepu being red-carded in only the ninth minute for a high tackle on Brumbies winger Andy Muirhead. The Brumbies had little respect for the ball, made poor decisions, kicked out on the full from open play and then failed to find touch when trying to. Moana Pasifika have claimed their maiden Australian scalp with a shock 32-22 Super Rugby Pacific win over the Brumbies in Auckland.

Despite having to cram several midweek games into their schedule and cap plenty of players, they have been a competitive outfit for much of the season and with ...

The Brumbies will go into the knockout stages on shaky footing. Throughout the season, Moana Pasifika have been on the back foot. Despite having to cram several midweek games into their schedule and cap plenty of players, they have been a competitive outfit for much of the season and with a win over the Brumbies showed what they were capable of.

Sekope Kepu's 150th Super Rugby game inspired the hosts, but the captain was sent out after just ten minutes. This did not stop Aaron Mauger's side, who ...

The loss drops the Brumbies to fourth place on the standings, putting them in the finals following three losses in a row. When Lachlan Lonergan plunged over with Connal McInerney and Jahrome Brown in the bin, the Brumbies sought to mount a comeback. This did not stop Aaron Mauger’s side, who dominated the Brumbies pack, scoring just before halftime to take a 19-7 lead.

Moana Pasifika beat the top-seeded Australian side in this year's competition with a convincing 32-22 win at home.

The Brumbies scored after the hooter to lessen the blow but the celebrations were already starting with Moana Pasifika sending a statement in their final game that they aren't a side to take likely. After a warning from the referee for too many penalties in their own 22, the Brumbies were reduced to 14 then 13 players as Moana Pasifika scored a penalty try on half time. In fact, Moana Pasifika started to pile on the pressure shortly after despite being down a man and in the end took the lead from a stunned Brumbies outfit courtesy of tries to William Havili and Joe Apiokotoa.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Moana Pasifika pulled off a stunning upset by beating the playoff-bound Brumbies 32-22 in the last match of their inaugural ...

“In a few years, this is going to be a seriously tough place to play, especially for New Zealand teams,” Weber said. Man, hats off to the Drua.” The Highlanders can clinch the last playoff berth ahead of the Force if, on Sunday, they beat the Melbourne Rebels or even earn a losing bonus point. The Brumbies scored almost immediately after Kepu’s dismissal, through hooker Connal McInerney from a rolling maul. “We just feel a sense of relief more than anything. It just shows that when we express ourselves, we’re physical, we’re elusive and we’ve got X-factor.”