On a chilly night in Canberra, the Hurricanes felt the early heat from the Brumbies, but pulled away in a strong second stanza.
They worked hard to haul themselves back in the contest, edge to the lead and then finish all over the Brumbies to book their semifinal berth, most likely in Johannesburg. It was bruising, real Super Rugby playoffs intensity. The Brumbies have not always played with that intensity this season, while the Hurricanes have tended to come second best when the going gets really tough, namely against the Chiefs, twice, and the Crusaders. There was a lot of kicking by both sides, and it was often aimless.
Dane Coles entered the fray towards the end of the first half for a Ricky Riccitelli head-bin and then went fulltime from the 50 minute mark. He did his core tasks well and will be the better for it. But he showed his allround skill with a bust and then in-pass for TJ Perenara for the Hurricanes to break the shackles in the second half.
This quarter-final did not exactly go to script. It was supposed to go something like this: the Brumbies would hold the Hurricanes for the first quarter until the floodgates burst open and the team that averages six tries a game for 2017 would crank up the firepower with their X-factor men to blow away the limited Brumbies.