Hurricanes rout Brumbies as Australian teams suffer familiar sinking feeling in Super Rugby playoffs

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Another Australian washout in the first round of Super Rugby playoffs has thrown up two all-New Zealand semifinals next weekend.

Washout literally. The ACT Brumbies were flushed out of the playoffs when they lost 66-12 to the Hurricanes in a downpour in Wellington, prompting Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham to apologize to fans for his team’s performance.

The Queensland Reds lost 46-24 to the Chiefs in a tighter match but in similar torrential rain conditions in Hamilton. No Australian team has ever won a playoff match in New Zealand.

The Crusaders beat the Auckland-based Blues 52-31 in a Kiwi derby to stretch their unbeaten record in home playoffs in Christchurch to 33 matches.

As a result, the Chiefs will play the Crusaders in Hamilton on Friday and the Hurricanes will play the Blues in Wellington on Saturday, as the Blues received a second chance as the highest-ranked quarterfinal loser.

It began Friday on a rainy, wind-swept night in Wellington where the Hurricanes, in marginal conditions, ran in nine tries against a team which has beaten them in their last three playoffs meetings.

The warning was signaled early. The Brumbies caught Hurricanes fullback Callum Harkin in defense and forced him back over his own goal line, anticipating a scoring opportunity from a five meter scrum.

Instead, the Hurricanes promoted the ball back into the field of play and, seconds later, scored the first try of the match. Another followed quickly and by halftime the Hurricanes led 38-7, the most points the Brumbies have conceded in the first half of any match.