Australian fan interest in the 2026 Super Rugby finals is over after big losses by the ACT Brumbies and Queensland on the weekend.
And Queensland’s 46-24 loss marked the end of Reds coach Less Kiss’s tenure as he prepares to move into the Wallabies head coach role.
The semi-finals kicks off in Hamilton, New Zealand, with the hosts, the Chiefs, taking on defending champions, Christchurch-based Crusaders, this Friday; on Saturday, the Hurricanes host the Auckland-based Blues in Wellington.
The Blues, who are led by incoming Qld head coach Vern Cotter, have been given a second life as the highest-ranked ‘lucky loser’ in the qualifying finals; they will need to win back-to-back away games away to claim the title.
AUSTRALIAN GAMES: QLD VS CHIEFS
The Chiefs led 22-17 at half-time thanks to a 39th minute try by winger Kyran Taumoefolau.
The try, his second of the half, came after Reds prop Aidan Ross, who had played 101 games for the Chiefs, burrowed over for a try.
All Black and Chiefs player Damian McKenzie told media after the game he was “really proud” of his team’s effort to run away in the second half against their Australian opponents.
“The Reds are a quality side. We’ve had many battles against them in the past in play-offs and we knew they were going to come out firing and they did exactly that,” he told Stan Sport.
“We had to prepare really well this week. I thought we did a great job at that and I’m proud of our boys’ ability in sticking to our guns.”
Kiss says he had mixed feelings about the result: “I’m bloody proud of the boys and gutted for them at the same time.
“In the first half, there were a number of heavy collisions and a lot cat-and-mouse with both sides testing out the other in different ways.
“That try they scored a minute before half-time probably gave them a boost but, at half-time, we were still confident in what we were doing,” Kiss says.
“It wasn’t easy for the Chiefs tonight. Fair play, they managed the second half very well.”
ACT BRUMBIES VS HURRICANES
In Friday’s game, the Brumbies saved their worst effort for their biggest game of the season.
The Hurricanes ran in five tries before halftime to set up a 38-7 lead at the break on their way to a 66-12 win over Australia’s best performing Super Rugby team.
It was more points than the Brumbies had ever conceded in a first half and a record score from the Hurricanes against their Australian rivals.
The results leave Australian teams with a winless record in NZ for Super Rugby finals campaigns: 23 games for 23 defeats.
EARLIER SUPER RUGBY NEWS: finals hopes rest across the Ditch
