Credit / Sky Sports
ACT Brumbies 12 Wellington Hurricanes 10
Otago Highlanders 59 NSW Waratahs 23
The Wellington Hurricanes came undone against the ACT Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday night, losing 12-10 after fullback Jordie Barrett missed two late penalty chances to win the game. The loss leaves the Canes in fourth place and likely out of finals contention.
The Hurricanes can be forgiven for thinking they had won it when prop Alex Fidow burst through the Brumbies defence inside the last 10 minutes to score under the posts, only for the TMO to spot a hairline Ardie Savea knock-on in the lead-up.
In the other game, the Otago Highlanders took apart the NSW Waratahs in Dunedin, 59-23. The Waratahs points scoring was done and dusted for the night after the first half, going into the break 33-23 down. The second half was one-way traffic with the Otago side racking up 26 unanswered points.
The win took the Highlanders with 18 points up to second on the table, behind the Blues on 19 points and ahead of the Crusaders (also on 18 points) due to a better for and against differential.
The Waikato Chiefs are at home to the Melbourne Rebels in Sunday's game.
ACT Brumbies 12 (Ryan Lonergan, Len Ikitau tries; Noah Lolesio con) Wellington Hurricanes 10 (Dane Coles try; Jordie Barrett con, pen). HT: 10-7
Otago Highlanders 59 (Ethan De Groot 2, Jona Nareki 2, Michael Collins, Patelesio Tomkinson, Ash Dixon, Kazuki Himeno, Teariki Ben-Nicholas tries; Mitchell Hunt 7 cons) NSW Waratahs 23 (Jack Maddocks, Mark Nawaqanitawase tries; Will Harrison 2 cons, 3 pens) HT: 33-23.