‘I scored it brother!’ Hurricanes denied late winner after Ardie Savea held-up

At GIO Stadium, Canberra: Brumbies 37 (Ollie Sapsford 10’, Jack Debreczeni 16’, Len Ikitau 25’, Luke Reimer 64’, Tom Wright 71’ tries; Debreczeni 2 con, 2 pen, Noah Lolesio con) Hurricanes 33 (Kini Naholo 2’, Ardie Savea 48’, Devan Flanders 60’ tries; Brett Cameron 3 con, 4 pen) HT: 25-16

Adamant he scored, Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea broke down in tears after being controversially denied a match-winning try in the team’s heartbreaking Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinal defeat to the Brumbies.

The Brumbies hung on to claim a dramatic 37-33 win, joining the Chiefs, Crusaders and Blues in next weekend’s semifinals, after Savea was judged to have been held up over the try-line in the 85th minute of a pulsating encounter at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Saturday night.

Brumbies flanker Luke Reimer was given the plaudits for pulling off what appeared to be a miracle try-saving tackle, somehow managing to get his hand underneath the ball to prevent Savea from grounding it.

The Hurricanes spent five minutes after the fulltime siren had sounded camped on the Brumbies try-line and threw everything at them in search of a last-ditch winner after Savea forced a turnover to set up a grandstand finish.

The final play was checked over by the television match official after referee Nic Berry ruled no try, but Savea was sure he had scored when he hurled himself towards the inside of the right post from a pick and go.

Believing he had successfully grounded the ball, Savea pointed to the sky in jubilation but his celebrations were quickly muted when Berry called no-try.

”Oh wow. It came down to that last play,” an emotional Savea, who will spend next year in Japan, told Sky Sport after his final appearance for the Hurricanes until 2025. “I disagree but it’s just the way it goes.

”I scored it brother. Initially I scored it and then he held me up but hey it is what it is.

“I’m gutted but honestly brother, I’m just truly grateful and blessed to be here and play this game for my team.”

The Hurricanes could have won the game moments earlier. Jordie Barrett had drawn last man Noah Lolesio, leaving Bailyn Sullivan clear to his right, but he ignored his team-mate outside him and took the contact.

The Hurricanes led 33-30 with 10 minutes to go after storming back from 25-16 down at halftime.

A stunning breakaway try from Devan Flanders had them eight points up midway through the second half.

Flanders sprinted 60 metres and fended off fullback Tom Wright to score after the ball squirted out of the side of the scrum and fell kindly to the blindside flanker, who showed incredible speed to burn off backs.

The Brumbies, so clinical from five metres out, hit back through Reimer’s lineout maul try and they re-took the lead in the 71st minute when Wright evaded a tackle from James Blackwell and scored in the left corner.

Saturday’s loss sees the Hurricanes’ season end at the hands of the Brumbies for the second year in a row.

GIO Stadium remains a graveyard for the men from the New Zealand capital. They have not won in Canberra since 2017 and 13 of their 18 visits have ended in defeat, including the last two quarterfinals.

Big moment

Did Savea ground the ball? The Hurricanes skipper certainly thought so, but the referee had other ideas. Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, replays provided little evidence to support Savea, so Berry’s on-field decision of no-try was unable to be overturned.

Match rating

10/10. A see-saw elimination match between two evenly-matched teams decided in the final play of the game. This was edge of your seat stuff and a total contrast to the prior quarterfinal which saw the Crusaders put Fijian Drua to the sword in a one-sided affair.

MVP

Brumbies first-five Jack Debreczeni kept his place ahead of the returning Lolesio and the Auckland-born veteran justified his selection with a commanding performance in the No. 10 jersey. Debreczeni was not afraid to take on the line and his confident play was rewarded with a 16th-minute try.

Big picture

The Brumbies will fly the flag for Australia in the semifinals. They will now travel to Hamilton to take on the Chiefs at FMG Stadium next Saturday night, while the other playoff will see the Crusaders host the Blues at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch on the Friday. As for the Hurricanes, a second consecutive fifth-place finish represents another disappointing season and spells the end of coach Jason Holland’s tenure at the club.