The NSW Waratahs will have the chance to get revenge for their Pittwater Park loss to the Western Force, booking their tickets to the Super Rugby AUS final with a 42-34 win against the Brumbies in Canberra.
The match saw twelve tries scored, with free-flowing attacking rugby on full display in a fun afternoon at Viking Park.
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The result will see the men from Canberra finish without a win in their inaugural Super Rugby AUS season, but they may have unearthed several exciting talents in the process.
So what did we learn?
On a beautiful afternoon in Canberra, a strong crowd turned out at Viking Park for some entertaining rugby, and they certainly got it in spades.
However, the day truly belonged to the Waratahs, with the men in sky blue heading back up the Remembrance Highway with a clean sweep of victories.
The U16s kicked off their season in brutal fashion with a 97-0 demolition of the Brumbies, before the U19s drew first blood against the current defending champions, coming from behind to win 64-38 and win a home final next week.
Complete with the senior side pinching victory at the death in Canberra, it’ll be results that will delight Dan McKellar and his staff.
After bursting onto the rugby circuit for the First Nations Pasifika XV, Jarrah McLeod impressed again this weekend.
Showing his attacking capabilities, the newcomer looked right at home at Viking Park, scoring two tries inside 15 minutes to get the Brumbies into the match in the first half.
While he is still very early into his career, this sort of fixture showed just what he’s capable of, and how high his ceiling could be.
While the Waratahs lost parity in the set piece as the game went on, there was one player who finished the match with his stocks firmly raised.
Winger Sid Harvey has long been regarded for his quality boot, and in Canberra he showed it again, ending the night with an unblemished five from five conversion record off the back of six from seven last week, keeping the visitors firmly in the game.
It proved the difference between the sides, with his opposite kicker Declan Meredith having a tough night with the boot.
With the options he brings both on the wing and at fullback, 2025 looms as a potential breakout year for the youngster, especially if paired up with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen in the back three.
In the forward pack, Jamie Adamson also showed his work rate, bagging a double to push his claim for a potential starting position in the Super Rugby season next year.
The Waratahs looked on track to run away with the match in Canberra, the Brumbies turned to their disciplined set piece - and it worked a treat.
Their dominance at scrum in the second half saw the side take the match by the scruff of the neck, shutting down the Waratahs weapons and causing all sorts of problems.
While the match came down to a thriller and was not enough to produce an unlikely finals berth, there should be a lot to like for Brumbies’ staff as to the back up options in Canberra.
The 42-34 win means the Waratahs will qualify for the final next week in Wanneroo, with the Reds needing a bonus win over the Force to come back into the equations.
However, the odds are highly likely the men from Sydney will be making the journey.
Should the Reds draw even, the tiebreaker falls on head-to-head, meaning the Waratahs will qualify thanks to their big win in Narribri.
The result should set up a contest that will bring the competition full circle, in a rematch of the inaugural clash of the competition at Pittwater Park that saw the Force win 24-3.
