VIDEO: Reality bites for Brumbies

SUPER RUGBY REPORT: To use a well-worn cliche: A week is a long time in rugby.

Last week the Brumbies put 50 points past the Chiefs in a 54-17 rout. On Friday, at the Palmerston North Showgrounds, it was the Hurricanes' turn to demolish the Brumbies - winning 43-13.

It was an amazing turnaround for the Hurricanes, who lost 22-38 to the Crusaders last week.

For the Brumbies, who lost to the Rebels in Week One before last week's great win, it is back to reality.

The Hurricanes outscored them by six tries to two.

The Brumbies would have thought they were in the contest when they were trailing just 8-14 on the half-hour mark.

Dane Coles' second try, five minutes before the break, should have been the first sign that it was not going to be the Brumbies' day.

Then followed an irresistible display of effervescent rugby in the second half.

The Brumbies were unable to cope with a fired-up Hurricanes team.

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It was the home side that had the Palmerston North crowd on their feet after 12 minutes, as they broke the deadlock with the first try of the contest. It was an opportunistic effort as well, as hooker Dane Coles claimed a David Pocock pop pass that was inadvertently deflected into his path to storm away for a try which Beauden Barrett converted.

The second Hurricanes try minutes later was a thing of beauty. Turnover ball is dangerous in most hands bit when it falls to the prolific Vince Aso, it spells trouble. His offload was outstanding and Laumape had too much acceleration and burst clear to increase the advantage. Barrett was dead-eyed from the tee once more as the lead moved to 14-0.

Needing a route back into the match the Brumbies reverted to their trademark weapon. After the hosts were penalised for a late shot by Coles, Irae Simone kicked to the corner and the rolling maul clicked into gear, driving Folau Fainga'a over the line, the hooker's third try in successive matches in 2019.

A typically robust Pocock turnover allowed Christian Lealiifano to reduce the arrears further still from a penalty in front of the posts, but it was the Hurricanes who were to have the last laugh of the opening forty minutes.

It was a try made by some silky All Black skills as Laumape and scrum half Thomas Perenara combined to create a slither of space for Coles and the hooker finished like a winger with a balletic dive to touchdown in the corner.

There was a change of match official at half-time, as referee Nick Briant was replaced by Federico Anselmi, and the newcomers first call of duty was to award the Hurricanes a penalty which with Barrett bisected the uprights to make the score 22-8.

The Brumbies made a trio of changes in the 51st minute, introducing prop James Slipper, flanker Tom Cusack and scrumhalf Matt Lucas into the fray, but it was the Hurricanes who kept advancing, and a flat-pass from Perenara allowed Laumape to cut inside the covering defence to cross for his second of the match.

Laumape celebrated a hat-trick on the hour as the centre intercepted a wayward pass to sprint away under the posts with Barrett's conversion taking the Hurricanes 36-8 ahead, before Pocock was sin-binned by the substitute referee for an early tackle.

After the Hurricanes monopolised possession for most of the second half, the Brumbies finally got some ball 10 minutes from time and Lucas and Wharenui Hawera combined with Tevita Kuridrani to free replacement Tom Wright who showed his speed, racing away to score his first Super Rugby try.

The final word went to the Hurricanes though, when lock James Blackwell pounced on a loose pass, as the Brumbies tried to keep the ball alive after the siren, to canter over for the Hurricanes sixth try.

Man of the match: Thomas Perenara and Beauden Barrett provided the creative skill. Ardie Savea, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam and Vince Aso made all the strong carries. Laumape scored a hat-trick to boot. However, our award goes to the Hurricanes All Black hooker Dane Coles - who showed all the skill, pace and power we have come to expect of him. Not only did he make more than 50 metres in his four impressive carries, but he beat three defenders, made a clean break and scored two tries to go with a handful of tackles.

The scorers:

For the Hurricanes:

Tries: Coles 2, Laumape 3, Blackwell

Cons: Barrett 4, Garden-Bachop

Pen: Barrett

For the Brumbies:

Tries: Fainga'a, Wright

Pen: Lealiifano

Yellow card: David Pocock (Brumbies, 62 - cynical foul, tackling player without the ball)

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TEAMS:

Hurricanes: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Vince Aso, 13 Matt Proctor, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Thomas Perenara, 8 Ardie Savea, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Vaea Fifita, 5 Liam Mitchell, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Ben May, 2 Dane Coles (captain), 1 Chris Eves.

Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Xavier Numia, 18 Jeff To’omaga-Allen, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Reed Prinsep, 21 Richard Judd, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Wes Goosen

Brumbies: 15 Tom Banks, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Chance Peni, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Lachlan McCaffrey, 7 David Pocock, 6 Pete Samu, 5 Blake Enever, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio.

Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 James Slipper, 18 Leslie Leauluaialii-Makin, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Tom Cusack, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Wharenui Hawera, 23 Tom Wright