Queensland red-faced after Brumbies loss

ACT Brumbies ambushed the Super rugby title-chasing Queensland Reds with a 22-14 victory in Brisbane yesterday, rubbing salt into the wound with a last-second penalty that denied their hosts a bonus point. The Reds, clearly jaded after their draining victory over the Canterbury Crusaders last weekend, remained top of the overall standings ahead of South Africa's Stormers with two games to go but with their lead cut to one point.

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.

Over 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.