Brumbies denied by Crusaders in Canberra battle
While the Chiefs locked down the No.1 ranking with a win over the Highlanders earlier on Friday night, the Brumbies and Crusaders met in a battle for second position with the Kiwi outfit victorious, 33-31.
The visitors hit the front in the 76th minute with reserve hooker George Bell peeling off a maul to dive over.
His try came after referee James Doleman missed a clear knock-on by Sevu Reece in the previous play.
With little more than a minute to play it looked like Brumbies winger Corey Toole might put his side back in the lead as he pin-balled through the defence, but Scott Barrett dislodged the ball from his arms three metres from the tryline.
The third-placed Brumbies, the top-ranked Australian side, will now to host the team that finishes fourth - the Hurricanes or Queensland - in the qualifying finals next weekend.
By finishing in the top two the Crusaders are now guaranteed to host a home semi-final provided they win their week one final.
The Brumbies trailed 25-14 at halftime with the Crusaders dominant in every aspect, with their line-speed in defence and physicality at the breakdown causing the home side headaches.
A phenomenal team try by the Brumbies ?#SuperRugbyPacific | #BRUvCRU pic.twitter.com/qOZ21tCra3? Super Rugby Pacific (@SuperRugby) May 30, 2025
But Canberra started the second half with intent, with prop Rhys Van Nek burrowing across.
The Brumbies then set up a heart-stopping finish when they drew level at 28-28 with their opponents after Noah Lolesio converted a try by Andy Muirhead in the 56th minute.
After some quick hands Muirhead still had plenty of work to do but the winger showed his will to drag three defenders across the line.
A penalty strike by Lolesio then put his team ahead with eight minutes to play but the Crusaders - the most successful team in the competition's history with 14 titles - wouldn't be denied.
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Perth Now
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
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Once she competes in her open-water events, Johnson will also contest the 800m and 1500m freestyle in the pool at the worlds. - with DPA Moesha Johnson has won Australia's first 10km open water world title as compatriot Kyle Lee opened the medal tally with bronze in the men's race. It is Australia's fifth open water world title over all distances with Johnson and Lee in the team that will defend their mixed team title at the Singapore world aquatics championships. The water temperature was 30-plus degrees and conditions were described on social media as "human soup". There were also two postponements for the 10km events because of water quality concerns. Johnson, who claimed silver in the same event at the Paris Olympics, won in two hours seven minutes 51.30 seconds. It is also her first individual open water world championship. She finished 4.40 seconds ahead of Italian Ginevra Taddeucci and Lisa Pou from Monaco won bronze. Fellow Australian and Paris Olympics teammate Chelsea Gubecka finished eighth. The men's race became the first final to be decided at the world championships in Singapore after the women's 10km event was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday because of water quality concerns. The two open-water events were also postponed from Wednesday morning to the afternoon at Palawan Beach on Sentosa Island, south of Singapore, again because of the dirty sea water. Organisers then said water samples collected on Tuesday afternoon had shown a "significant improvement" and went ahead with Wednesday competition. German Florian Wellbrock won his sixth open-water world championship, clocking one hour 59 minutes 55.50 seconds. He beat Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri by 3.70 seconds, with Lee 14.80 seconds behind Wellbrock in third place. The Australian Paris Olympian beat another German, Oliver Klemet, by just 0.1 of a second to win his first individual world championships medal. "We prepared for these conditions in Darwin and to be honest … I am just in shock," Lee said. Nicholas Sloman, who also competed in Paris, finished eighth. Johnson, Lee, Gubecka and Sloman are the reigning world mixed team champions. Wellbrock also won the 10km event at the Tokyo Olympics. He was unhappy about the circumstances around the event postponements. "That was very, very annoying. We don't understand why World Aquatics informs coaches and committees about such circumstances in the middle of the night," Wellbrock said. Other open-water races in Singapore are also set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Water quality was a key issue at last year's Olympics, with the triathlon and marathon swimming events held in the River Seine. After a massive project to clean up the river for the Games, heavy rain meant the men's individual triathlon was postponed by one day. All other events went ahead as scheduled. Once she competes in her open-water events, Johnson will also contest the 800m and 1500m freestyle in the pool at the worlds. - with DPA Moesha Johnson has won Australia's first 10km open water world title as compatriot Kyle Lee opened the medal tally with bronze in the men's race. It is Australia's fifth open water world title over all distances with Johnson and Lee in the team that will defend their mixed team title at the Singapore world aquatics championships. The water temperature was 30-plus degrees and conditions were described on social media as "human soup". There were also two postponements for the 10km events because of water quality concerns. Johnson, who claimed silver in the same event at the Paris Olympics, won in two hours seven minutes 51.30 seconds. It is also her first individual open water world championship. She finished 4.40 seconds ahead of Italian Ginevra Taddeucci and Lisa Pou from Monaco won bronze. 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"We prepared for these conditions in Darwin and to be honest … I am just in shock," Lee said. Nicholas Sloman, who also competed in Paris, finished eighth. Johnson, Lee, Gubecka and Sloman are the reigning world mixed team champions. Wellbrock also won the 10km event at the Tokyo Olympics. He was unhappy about the circumstances around the event postponements. "That was very, very annoying. We don't understand why World Aquatics informs coaches and committees about such circumstances in the middle of the night," Wellbrock said. Other open-water races in Singapore are also set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Water quality was a key issue at last year's Olympics, with the triathlon and marathon swimming events held in the River Seine. After a massive project to clean up the river for the Games, heavy rain meant the men's individual triathlon was postponed by one day. All other events went ahead as scheduled. Once she competes in her open-water events, Johnson will also contest the 800m and 1500m freestyle in the pool at the worlds. - with DPA Moesha Johnson has won Australia's first 10km open water world title as compatriot Kyle Lee opened the medal tally with bronze in the men's race. It is Australia's fifth open water world title over all distances with Johnson and Lee in the team that will defend their mixed team title at the Singapore world aquatics championships. The water temperature was 30-plus degrees and conditions were described on social media as "human soup". There were also two postponements for the 10km events because of water quality concerns. Johnson, who claimed silver in the same event at the Paris Olympics, won in two hours seven minutes 51.30 seconds. It is also her first individual open water world championship. She finished 4.40 seconds ahead of Italian Ginevra Taddeucci and Lisa Pou from Monaco won bronze. Fellow Australian and Paris Olympics teammate Chelsea Gubecka finished eighth. The men's race became the first final to be decided at the world championships in Singapore after the women's 10km event was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday because of water quality concerns. The two open-water events were also postponed from Wednesday morning to the afternoon at Palawan Beach on Sentosa Island, south of Singapore, again because of the dirty sea water. Organisers then said water samples collected on Tuesday afternoon had shown a "significant improvement" and went ahead with Wednesday competition. German Florian Wellbrock won his sixth open-water world championship, clocking one hour 59 minutes 55.50 seconds. He beat Italian Gregorio Paltrinieri by 3.70 seconds, with Lee 14.80 seconds behind Wellbrock in third place. The Australian Paris Olympian beat another German, Oliver Klemet, by just 0.1 of a second to win his first individual world championships medal. "We prepared for these conditions in Darwin and to be honest … I am just in shock," Lee said. Nicholas Sloman, who also competed in Paris, finished eighth. Johnson, Lee, Gubecka and Sloman are the reigning world mixed team champions. Wellbrock also won the 10km event at the Tokyo Olympics. He was unhappy about the circumstances around the event postponements. "That was very, very annoying. We don't understand why World Aquatics informs coaches and committees about such circumstances in the middle of the night," Wellbrock said. Other open-water races in Singapore are also set for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Water quality was a key issue at last year's Olympics, with the triathlon and marathon swimming events held in the River Seine. After a massive project to clean up the river for the Games, heavy rain meant the men's individual triathlon was postponed by one day. All other events went ahead as scheduled. Once she competes in her open-water events, Johnson will also contest the 800m and 1500m freestyle in the pool at the worlds. - with DPA
The Advertiser
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Australia A and Sri Lanka A have ground out a tame draw at Marrara Stadium in Darwin, but the national selectors may have plenty to ponder for the Ashes. It probably was the assurance chief selector George Bailey was looking for - rather than the result - at the end of the four-day game in the Top End, as bat prevailed over ball in a timely reminder all may not be lost for Australia's top order this summer. In reply to Australia A's 486 after making 272 in their first knock, the Sri Lankans dug in to finish on 3-280 when the match was called on Wednesday afternoon. First-drop Nuwanidu Fernando made a superb unbeaten 104, including seven fours and three sixes, ably supported by Pasindu Sooriyabandara (56) and Pavan Rathnayake (56no). The Australian bowlers were unable to make major in-roads after securing the wickets of openers Lahiru Udara (17) and Kamil Mishara (35). Fernando and Sooriyabandara starred in a 113-run partnership for the third wicket, before the latter was caught by Nathan McSweeney off the bowling of Liam Scott. It gave the home side a glimmer of hope, but Rathnayake had other ideas, digging in with the centurion to snuff out any chance of an Australian victory. McSweeney's two catches - the other to dismiss Mishara off Mitchell Perry - were the highlight in the field for the hosts, but it was his timely innings of 94 that would have had Bailey's pen and paper ready. Such has been the batting woes of the Test team in the Caribbean, McSweeney's knock at No.3 was a statement of intent. McSweeney showed he was willing to fight to regain his place in the Test team after being dropped with scores of 10, 0, 9 and 4 in two Tests against India - against the world's best bowler in Jasprit Bumrah, who dismissed him on three of those occasions. The Queenslander grafted for his runs against Sri Lanka A, compiling his runs off 220 deliveries with only six boundaries. He was dismissed first ball on the third morning of play, just six shy of what would have been a most timely century. In contrast, Australia's current Test openers Usman Khawaja (47, 15, 16, 2, 23 and 14) and young Sam Konstas (3, 5, 25, 0, 17, 0) have struggled to get close to 50, with the brilliant, but ageing, left-handed Khawaja coming close in the first Test against the West Indies in Bridgetown. At 38 years and 210 days, Khawaja is struggling, but he's less under the microscope than young star Konstas, who is at the other end of a fledgling career. Alas, the innings may have earned McSweeney another crack at Test level, this time in the Ashes, where he could line up against another frightening bowler in Jofra Archer. Australia A and Sri Lanka A have ground out a tame draw at Marrara Stadium in Darwin, but the national selectors may have plenty to ponder for the Ashes. It probably was the assurance chief selector George Bailey was looking for - rather than the result - at the end of the four-day game in the Top End, as bat prevailed over ball in a timely reminder all may not be lost for Australia's top order this summer. In reply to Australia A's 486 after making 272 in their first knock, the Sri Lankans dug in to finish on 3-280 when the match was called on Wednesday afternoon. First-drop Nuwanidu Fernando made a superb unbeaten 104, including seven fours and three sixes, ably supported by Pasindu Sooriyabandara (56) and Pavan Rathnayake (56no). The Australian bowlers were unable to make major in-roads after securing the wickets of openers Lahiru Udara (17) and Kamil Mishara (35). Fernando and Sooriyabandara starred in a 113-run partnership for the third wicket, before the latter was caught by Nathan McSweeney off the bowling of Liam Scott. It gave the home side a glimmer of hope, but Rathnayake had other ideas, digging in with the centurion to snuff out any chance of an Australian victory. McSweeney's two catches - the other to dismiss Mishara off Mitchell Perry - were the highlight in the field for the hosts, but it was his timely innings of 94 that would have had Bailey's pen and paper ready. Such has been the batting woes of the Test team in the Caribbean, McSweeney's knock at No.3 was a statement of intent. McSweeney showed he was willing to fight to regain his place in the Test team after being dropped with scores of 10, 0, 9 and 4 in two Tests against India - against the world's best bowler in Jasprit Bumrah, who dismissed him on three of those occasions. The Queenslander grafted for his runs against Sri Lanka A, compiling his runs off 220 deliveries with only six boundaries. He was dismissed first ball on the third morning of play, just six shy of what would have been a most timely century. In contrast, Australia's current Test openers Usman Khawaja (47, 15, 16, 2, 23 and 14) and young Sam Konstas (3, 5, 25, 0, 17, 0) have struggled to get close to 50, with the brilliant, but ageing, left-handed Khawaja coming close in the first Test against the West Indies in Bridgetown. At 38 years and 210 days, Khawaja is struggling, but he's less under the microscope than young star Konstas, who is at the other end of a fledgling career. Alas, the innings may have earned McSweeney another crack at Test level, this time in the Ashes, where he could line up against another frightening bowler in Jofra Archer.
