SYDNEY : The Auckland Blues and ACT Brumbies locked in home Super Rugby Pacific quarter-finals with victories over the Otago Highlanders and Melbourne Rebels on Friday, wins that also had an impact on the five-way battle for the last two playoff spots.
The Blues had to grind out the 16-9 victory over the Highlanders at Eden Park which assured them of third place in the standings and a quarter-final against the New South Wales Waratahs.The Brumbies later cemented fourth place with a 33-17 win over the Rebels in a more lively contest at Canberra Stadium and will play host to the Wellington Hurricanes in the playoffs next week."We had to work hard for it but to able to come back here next week, it's a good feeling," said Brumbies captain Nic White.After the Highlander's loss, the Rebels had been in with a shout of moving into the playoff spots but Friday's match was a snapshot of much of their season - plenty to like about the performance but ultimately no end result.
Carter Gordon again impressed at flyhalf and scored a try on the burst through the midfield to give the Rebels a 10-7 lead after half an hour.
The Brumbies already had a try from flying winger Corey Toole, however, and hooker Connal McInerney went over before halftime to give the hosts a 14-10 lead.