Prop James Slipper, celebrating his 200th appearance, scored a try, while Charlie Cale found the try line twice and hooker Liam Bowron added another late in the game to seal the win and dash any hopes of a Crusaders comeback.
Flanker Rob Valetini and hooker Corey Toole’s late tries secured a bonus point for the Brumbies, propelling them to the top of the standings alongside the Waratahs with 10 points from two matches.
“We were determined to put in a performance that would yield a positive outcome, and the boys really stepped up today,” said Slipper. “It’s a special moment for all of us to come away with such a big win in a place where many Aussie teams have fallen short.”
The Brumbies now share the top spot with the Waratahs, who secured their second consecutive victory with a 36-13 win over the Fijian Drua, thanks to winger Max Jorgensen’s brace of tries.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs claimed their second win of the season with a 26-23 triumph over the Highlanders, led by hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho’s two tries. The Blues also notched their first win with a 42-32 victory over the Western Force, as fly-half Stephen Perofeta contributed 17 points, converting all six tries.
In their season opener, the Hurricanes dominated Moana Pasifika with a 52-10 win, highlighted by winger Josh Moorby’s hat-trick and brace of tries each from centre Fehi Fineanganofo and No 8 Brayden Iose.
“They started strong, but we managed to bounce back and put in a solid performance,” said Hurricanes centre Jordie Barrett. “It’s a good start for us, and we know there’s room for improvement moving forward.”
