Chiefs defeat Brumbies 37-17 in semi-final to end Australia’s hopes of Super Rugby title

More than a decade since the last title, Australia’s long wait for a Super Rugby champion goes on, with Brumbies crashing out of the competition at the hands of the Chiefs to create an all-New Zealand final.

It will be an all New Zealand grand final after the Chiefs defeated the Brumbies. Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

More than a decade since the last title, Australia’s long wait for a Super Rugby champion goes on.

The Brumbies gave it a fair crack in their 37-17 defeat to the Chiefs on Saturday night but there’s just no beating the Kiwis on their home turf.

Not that anyone needs reminding but Australian teams have now played 21 Super Rugby finals in the Land of the Long White Cloud and come off second best every time, with the Brumbies losing four successive semis on the other side of the ditch.

“Another stumble at the second-last hurdle, but the Chiefs had a really strict game plan and they put it to the sword, so fair play to them,” said Tom Wright.

The Brumbies fullback was denied a late try by a brilliant smothering tackle by Damian McKenzie that summed up the visitors’ luckless night after they lost influential playmaker Noah Lolesio early on when he copped a heavy knock and failed his HIA.

Australia’s Super Rugby title hopes are over after the Brumbies loss. Picture: DJ Mills / AFP

The teams scored three tries apiece but the Chiefs emerged victorious courtesy of McKenzie’s boot as he landed six penalties and two conversions for a personal haul of 22 points.

Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa said there was no questioning his team’s desire, but discipline let them down.

“What we spoke about all week is that we had to play close to a perfect game to come out here and get the result,” he said.

“In the second half, our accuracy let us down and off the back of that probably our discipline as well… then they capitalised on that.”

Tom Wright on the ball for the Brumbies. Picture: Phil Walter/Getty Images

Brumbies hooker Billy Pollard scored the opening points with a trademark try off a rolling maul after the Chief’s lock Tupou Vaa’i was sent to the bin for an early high shot on him.

The Brumbies winger Corey Toole also crossed twice but the Chiefs kept chipping away on the scoreboard to remain in front for most of the contest and take the spoils.

Wright said the Brumbies always knew what they were up against when they landed in New Zealand but tried not to let it play on their minds.

“I don’t think we needed to talk about creating history, that drive was always there for us,” he said.

“Externally though, the noise is near impossible to drown out, but as a group we didn’t talk about that as such.

Chiefs’ Josh Jacomb scores a try. Picture: DJ Mills / AFP

“Knowing that noise is there, didn’t change anything. If you don’t have enough motivation before this evening, you’re probably playing in the wrong game, right?”

The Chiefs will travel to Christchurch next week to play the Crusaders in the grand final while the Brumbies will fly home wondering what could have been as attention turns to the Wallabies upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions.

The Brumbies will be well represented when Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt names his squad next week for the warm-up test against Fiji on July 6, with Wright and Alaalatoa considered certainties to get the call up after a Super Rugby season that was high on quality even if ended the same way as most other recent editions.

“I think it’s been a great step forward in terms of the whole competition,” Alaalatoa said.