The ACT Brumbies can secure a fifth consecutive Super Rugby finals berth if they beat the Melbourne Rebels in Canberra on Saturday night after igniting their season in Argentina.
More Rugby Union Videos
- Video duration
- 01:30
Brumbies consolidate top spot
Brumbies consolidate top spot
The ACT Brumbies have consolidated top spot on the Australian Conference with a comprehensive 39-15 victory over the Jaguares in the club's first ever trip to Buenos Aires.
Up Next
Fa'agase: Samoa match a dream come true
- Video duration
- 00:32
- Video duration
- 00:32
Fa'agase: Samoa match a dream come true
Fa'agase: Samoa match a dream come true
Queensland Reds prop Sef Fa'agase says it's an honour to represent the Reds as they take on the Blues in Apia, Samoa .
Up Next
Sharks cruise to victory over the Stormers
- Video duration
- 01:27
- Video duration
- 01:27
Sharks cruise to victory over the Stormers
Sharks cruise to victory over the Stormers
The Sharks had little trouble gaining an advantage over the visiting Stormers as they cruised to a twelve point win.
Up Next
Hurricanes dominate the Bulls
- Video duration
- 01:29
- Video duration
- 01:29
Hurricanes dominate the Bulls
Hurricanes dominate the Bulls
The Hurricanes cruised to an easy victory over the Bulls.
Up Next
Brumbies come from behind in win over Kings
- Video duration
- 01:29
- Video duration
- 01:29
Brumbies come from behind in win over ...
Brumbies come from behind in win over Kings
The Brumbies managed to find a way to squeeze out a win after trailing the Kings for over an hour, before the breakthrough try from Aidan Toua.
Up Next
Stormers hit late to defeat Blues
- Video duration
- 01:29
- Video duration
- 01:29
Stormers hit late to defeat Blues
Stormers hit late to defeat Blues
Two late tries allowed the Stormers to squeak past the Blues in Cape Town.
Up Next
Highlanders win seventh in a row
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
Highlanders win seventh in a row
Highlanders win seventh in a row
The Highlanders have won their seventh game in a row, beating the Bulls 17-10.
Brumbies consolidate top spot
The ACT Brumbies have consolidated top spot on the Australian Conference with a comprehensive 39-15 victory over the Jaguares in the club's first ever trip to Buenos Aires.
The Brumbies smashed the Argentina Jaguares 39-15 in Buenos Aires on Sunday morning, completing a perfect two game tour around the world in a dramatic form turnaround.
It was the Brumbies' biggest win outside of Australia in 15 years and the bonus-point triumph lifts them nine points ahead of the NSW Waratahs on the conference ladder.
Related Content
The Brumbies will return to Canberra on Monday night and the club is expected to unveil its new coach this week, with Dan McKellar the front-runner to replace outgoing mentor Stephen Larkham.
But all eyes will be on the players after they dismantled the Jaguares on the last leg of a 34,000 kilometre journey to revive their Super Rugby hopes.
The 24-point win fired a reminder to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika before he names his squad on Tuesday night, with Joe Powell, Sam Carter, Scott Fardy, Rory Arnold, Tevita Kuridrani, Allan Alaalatoa and Henry Speight all pushing for selection.
Fullback Tom Banks and beer delivery man Andrew Muirhead both scored doubles as the Brumbies moved a step closer to a fifth consecutive play-off appearance.
"It's a special tour for us, [winger Henry Speight] said in the huddle after the game we've never won as a club in Port Elizabeth or Buenos Aires," Larkham said.
"It feels like a tour where things are starting to come together a little bit for us and it's probably been helped by the way the last two teams have defended against us.
"So we'll definitely take some confidence out of that … We won't get carried away.
"We spoke this being an important period of the season for us and we needed good results to set us up for the back end.
"But the boys are already talking about a massive focus against the Rebels this week, which is going to be huge."
The Brumbies season was on the edge of disaster after losing four games in a row before they flew to South Africa.
But they found a spark and won against the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth and backed up against the Jaguares to end a drought in the best possible way.
The next challenge is the under-siege Rebels, who shocked the Brumbies six weeks ago by scoring their only win of the season.
Larkham has challenged his players to back up their international tour with a strong performance at home before a four-week mid-season break.
The Brumbies play the Rebels, Queensland Reds and Waikato Chiefs in their last three games before the play-offs.
There will be a four-week gap between games against the Rebels and Reds while Super Rugby goes on hiatus for the international Test window.
"To finish off our tour like that against the Jaguares, that's just unreal and and it's an unreal feeling," Banks said.
"When you put in a good performance like that, it just shows that everyone has the belief and that's why we got the result."
Banks made amends for an early error against the Jaguares, scoring two tries in four minutes to give the Brumbies a handy half-time lead.
Banks' second try was set up by a masterful kick by flanker Chris Alcock, who gave Banks a clear run to the line.
They turned on the afterburners after the break, running in another three tries, including two by rookie Muirhead who doesn't even have a full-time Super Rugby contract.
Captain Carter and Speight also scored tries while Wharenui Hawera had a tough night with the boot, slotting just two of six conversion attempts.
Even so, it was a massive turnaround from the four-game losing streak and a 230-minute try-scoring drought which left their season hopes dangling by a thread.
But they made less errors and converted more opportunities to fire a warning to the rest of the competition to remind opponents of their championship goal.
Larkham has blooded 10 new faces for the Brumbies this year, including Muirhead and prop Faalelei Sione, who was a last-minute addition to the bench.
"It's a massive win, it's a very hard place to win over here and we've done a lot of travel so we're really happy with the win.Muchos gracias," said Brumbies skipper Sam Carter.
Prop Ben Alexander equalled George Smith as the most-capped player in Brumbies history and will break the record with his 143rd cap in the game against the Rebels.
AT A GLANCE
ACT BRUMBIES 39 (Tom Banks 2, Andrew Muirhead 2, Sam Carter, Henry Speight tries; Wharenui Hawera penalty, 2 conversions) bt ARGENTINA JAGUARES 15 (Tomas Lavanini, Guido Petti tries; Nicolas Sanchez penalty, conversion) at Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Buenos Aires, on Sunday morning Australian time. Referee: Mike Fraser.