THE AUSTRALIAN Conference remains wide open with six rounds to go after the Brumbies powered their way back to a 26-21 victory over the Blues.
Captain Christian Lealiifano praised his teammates for a ‘gutsy' performance in rescuing the game, having trailed 12-0 in the opening ten minutes.
Not for the first time this season, it was the Canberrabased outfit's forwards who were relied upon as the exponents of Super Rugby's most effective rolling maul.
Hooker Folau Fainga'a was the beneficiary with three tries in a win which keeps the Brumbies well in the play-off mix, while the Blues continue to drift from the reckoning.
Former Ulster fly-half Lealiifano, who is attracting interest from France, Ireland and Japan, said: “It was really pleasing to come back from that, we started slow but knew we had to get our game going.
“Our forwards were massive and really stepped up and gave us a good platform.”
The Brumbies had very little to build on after being knocked down to size early on by the visitors. Blues centre TJ Faiane scored the first try of the match on seven minutes before wing Caleb Clarke raced in a second by intercepting a pass two minutes later.
As the Brumbies began to monopolise possession, they turned to their set piece as the main mode of attack with Fainga'a scoring the first of his hat-trick before prop James Slipper crossed over shortly before the break.
Two converted scores for Fainga'a followed as the Blues were left to make do without props Alex Hodgman and Ofa Tuungafasi, who spent time in the sin bin to their team's detriment.
The win takes the Brumbies level on points with Conference leaders the Rebels and coach Dan McKellar hailed the grit of his forwards.
“We had a plan around set piece and maul and I thought our forwards were unbelievable, they executed to perfection,” he said.
“There are going to be games when our outside backs score the tries but tonight we wanted to target that area.”
The Waratahs' attempts to remain undistracted from the sideshow of Israel Folau's code of conduct hearing went in vain, as they succumbed to a 28-21 defeat at the Bulls.
In a week where the national media judged the financial risk facing Rugby Australia to be close to $12m (£6.4m) should they lose the case to Folau, the Waratahs were sent to their sixth defeat in 11 games.
Tries from Warrick Gelant, Duane Vermeulen and youngster Simphiwe Matanzima were matched by scores for London Irishbound duo Nick Phipps and Curtis Rona, while Kurtley Beale chimed in ten minutes after the break. But 13 points from the boot of Handre Pollard gave the hosts victory.
Beauden Barrett cut a relieved figure after the Hurricaneswere forced to hang on against the Rebels despite taking a 26-0 lead in the first-half. Early on, the Canes put on a display of their attacking best only to disintegrate in the second half, conceding 19 points.
The Chiefs' chances of mounting a play-off charge continue to dwindle after they drew 31-31 with the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Buoyed by the return from injury of Brad Weber and Nepo Laulala, Chiefs held on by the grace of prop Angus Ta'avao's second try on 80 minutes.
Bryce Hegarty boosted his credentials for a Wallabies call-up by being the calm in the storm for a Reds side forced to weather a Sunwolves tempest.
The fly-half scored the first of four Reds tries as they escaped with a 32-26 win.
The Sharks were left reeling after a last-gasp Crusaders try forced them to settle for a 21-21 draw.
Heroic defence throughout the match from the visitors was undone in the 79th minute by Mitchell Hunt diving over after the klaxon had sounded.
