Queensland red-faced after Brumbies loss
The Brumbies were inspired by flyhalf Matt Giteau as they grabbed just a third win of a miserable season by taking a 19-11 first half lead and then defending fiercely to protect it.
Fortunately for the Reds, Waikato Chiefs were meanwhile busy dealing a blow to the Auckland Blues' title ambitions with a deserved 16-11 victory in a typically hard-fought all-New Zealand clash at Eden Park, Auckland. The third successive defeat for the Blues drops them from second to third in the overall standings and leaves them just two points ahead of the Canterbury Crusaders in the race for the top spot.
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Hide AdOver in Wellington, centre Ma'a Nonu scored one try and made two for his fellow All Black Hosea Gear as the Wellington Hurricanes came from behind to beat South Africa's Lions 38-27
Trailing the strugglers 20-8 after 35 minutes, the Hurricanes hit back with a 30-point purple patch in the rain to avoid what would have been an embarrassing defeat.