Somehow, some way, the ACT Brumbies found a way to come away with the victory, scoring after the siren for a 30-27 win over the Blues.
They shrugged off the jet lag from a tough fortnight of travel and found another gear at the death to break the Blues' hearts.
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So what did we learn?
That’s what champion teams do, and that's what the Brumbies are.
They were dead and buried and looked out on their feet when Dalton Papali’i scored in the corner. But all they needed was a sniff, and Stephen Perofeta’s brain-fade was enough to turn the tide and allow them to strike.
Their patience must be admired, and the skill of Charlie Cale was something special, first to re-gather a loose pass after a promising half-break before somehow driving his way over the line for the winner.
It was very Kiwi-esque; the type of win that so many Australian fans have been on the other side of.
The belief in the Brumbies is sky-high, and back-to-back wins over the Kiwi sides only amplify their title credentials.
It’s only early, yet the signs are strong for the Australian teams after a clean sweep by the Reds, Force and Brumbies.
There’s always a stigma that the Kiwi sides are a class above, but weekends like this prove the gap is close, if not gone.
A Waratahs win on Friday will only reinforce this notion, coming against a hurt Hurricanes side following their defeat to the Fijian Drua.
It makes the Brumbies-Reds clash next week a must-watch, with the ACT side clear on top of the ladder.
James Slipper keeps showing off new skills even in his 201st Super Rugby game.
Slipper is on the ultimate heat check at the moment, and nothing summed this up more than his unreal 40 metre grubber that Declan Meredith latched onto for the opening score.
It’s the type of kick that any fly-half would be happy with, let alone a loosehead prop in his 17th season.
He joked that after the game it was one of his finest highlights, with the team continuing to rally around the leader.
Caleb Clarke reminded everyone just how dangerous he is.
The Blues winger was a titan on the edge, swatting away Brumbies at will.
It was painfully obvious when he departed, finishing with four line breaks and six tackle busts.
If the Blues are going to be title threats, Clarke is the central piece towards any of their aspirations.
It feels weird to say this early in the season, but geez, the Blues-Crusaders clash next weekend feels like it is a must-win for both sides.
The Blues must be wondering how that fell away from them after looking the better side by far in the second half.
It took just a brief moment of switching off, whether it was the yellow card or the late sealing off penalty, and the Brumbies made them pay.
The loss leaves both the Kiwi heavyweights in danger of going 1-3 to start the season, with the Crusaders notching a crucial win over the Chiefs earlier in the day.
