Super Rugby: Qualifying Finals Recap - Brumbies & Reds eliminated as semi-finals locked in

The Hurricanes and Chiefs both flexed their championship credentials with emphatic home victories to secure top seeding and home advantage for the semi-finals, while the Crusaders continued their formidable post-season record to keep their title defence alive.

With the field now narrowed to four contenders, the semi-final line-up is locked in, with the Brumbies and Reds eliminated leaving an all-New Zealand final four. The Chiefs will host the Crusaders in Hamilton on Friday night, while the Hurricanes welcome the Blues to Wellington on Saturday after the Auckland progressed as the competition's highest-ranked losing team.

As the pressure intensified and the stakes rose, there was no shortage of drama, standout performances and statement victories across the opening week of the finals. Here's a recap of all the action from the 2026 Super Rugby Qualifying Finals,

The Hurricanes produced a ruthless display in Wellington to overwhelm the Brumbies 66-12 and book their place in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals. The top seeds scored five tries before half-time and never looked back, inflicting the heaviest finals defeat ever suffered by an Australian side and extending the long-standing hoodoo of Australian teams winning knockout matches in New Zealand.

The Brumbies arrived with genuine belief after recent success across the Tasman, but early errors proved costly as the Hurricanes seized control. A turnover deep in Brumbies territory led to the opening score before the home side piled on the pressure, racing into a 31-0 lead with Ruben Love orchestrating proceedings superbly from fly-half.

Cam Roigard crossed twice in a devastating first-half display, while Billy Proctor and Warner Dearns added further scores as the Hurricanes surged clear. The visitors finally got on the board through Corey Toole before the break, but by then the damage had already been done.

Any hopes of a second-half fightback were quickly extinguished as the Hurricanes continued to attack relentlessly. Ngane Punivai helped himself to a hat-trick, Dearns grabbed his second try of the night and Love maintained a flawless kicking display, finishing with nine conversions and a penalty. Declan Edmed added a late consolation for the Brumbies, but the result underlined the Hurricanes' title credentials as they marched emphatically into the final four.

Hurricanes 66 (Tries: Delany, Roigard 2, Proctor, Dearns 2, Punivai 3; Cons: Love 9; Pens: Love)

ACT Brumbies 12 (Tries: Toole, Edmed; Cons: R. Lonergan)

The Crusaders continued their perfect record at One NZ Stadium with an emphatic 52-31 victory over the Blues, securing their place in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals after a dominant display in Christchurch.

The visitors made the ideal start when Sam Nock finished off a well-worked lineout move, but the contest changed dramatically after just 18 minutes when Blues number eight Malachi Wrampling was sent off for a high tackle on Leicester Fainga'anuku. Reduced to 14 men for more than an hour, the Blues struggled to contain a Crusaders side that ruthlessly capitalised on the numerical advantage.

Sevu Reece struck first for the hosts before Johnny McNicholl crossed to put them ahead. Although Anton Segner responded for the Blues, the Crusaders seized complete control before the interval through further tries from David Havili, Chay Fihaki and Taha Kemara to establish a commanding 33-14 half-time lead.

The second half followed a similar pattern as McNicholl completed a superb hat-trick, while George Bell and Ioane Moananu added further scores to push the hosts beyond the half-century mark. The Blues continued to battle through tries from Xavi Taele, Caleb Clarke and Peyton Spencer, but they could never seriously threaten a comeback as the Crusaders maintained their remarkable home finals record.

Crusaders 52 (Tries: McNicholl 3, Reece, Havili, Kemara, Fihaki, Leitu; Cons: Kemara 5, Reihana)

Blues 31 (Tries: Segner, Taele, Clarke, Nock, Spencer; Cons: Sullivan 3)

The Chiefs ended Queensland's hopes of ending the Australian finals drought with a commanding 46-24 victory in Hamilton, securing a place in the semi-finals and extending the unwanted record of Australian teams in New Zealand knockout matches.

The Reds made a spirited start and remained firmly in contention throughout a highly competitive first half. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and former Chiefs prop Aidan Ross crossed for Queensland, while Fraser McReight and Tate McDermott impressed in the visitors' best passages. However, the Chiefs repeatedly found answers through their clinical attack, with Kyran Taumoefolau scoring twice before the break to help establish a narrow 22-17 half-time lead.

A major talking point arrived in the opening half when Wallace Sititi was forced from the field following a heavy collision. Reds lock Salakaia-Loto was shown a yellow card, though the incident was not upgraded after review.

The contest swung decisively after the interval. Returning fly-half Damian McKenzie caught the Reds napping with a quick-tap penalty try shortly after the restart before adding a second score of his own to stretch the advantage. Samisoni Taukei'aho and Isaac Hutchinson also crossed as the Chiefs pulled away, with McKenzie producing a masterclass from the tee and in open play.

Matt Faessler grabbed a late try for Queensland, but it was not enough to prevent the Chiefs from advancing comfortably and setting up a heavyweight semi-final showdown with the Crusaders.

Chiefs 46 (Tries: Taumoefolau 2, Taukei'aho, McKenzie 2, Hutchinson; Cons: McKenzie 5; Pens: McKenzie 2)

Queensland Reds 24 (Tries: Salakaia-Loto, Ross, Faessler; Cons: Gordon 3; Pens: Gordon)