Crusaders vs Brumbies takes: POTY candidate, blueprint to beat the Crusaders

The Brumbies have travelled down to Christchurch and claimed a famous, 50-24 victory against the Super Rugby Pacific 2025 champions, the Crusaders, on James Slipper’s 200th appearance.

The Brumbies were clinical in Christchurch despite struggling with their lineout in the opening 20 minutes, with a couple of standout performances including last week’s hero Charlie Cale, and captain Ryan Lonergan.

Here are some takeaways from the final game of round two in Super Rugby Pacific.

Another week, another double for Brumbies loosie

Some may have thought Charlie Cale would have a tougher afternoon against the Crusaders compared to the first round against the Force, but the 25-year-old was up to the challenge.

The two-Test Wallabies loose-forward is a dynamic ball carrier with bags of talent, but it’s his work rate across the field that proves he’s a genuine option for Les Kiss and the Wallabies in 2026.

Cale made 15 carries across his 80-minute performance, and 16 stops defensively, showcasing that he’s more than just an effective finisher.

The Brumbies loose-forward’s first try was a smart play. His teammates had headed right off the back of the scrum, likely setting up a backline move, but Cale had other ideas.

He decided to go left, back his strength and presence of mind that earned him two tries last week against the Force.

His second was on the back of some brilliant offloads, but his first two performances in 2026 show that we have a definite Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year candidate right in front of our eyes.

After round one, Cale was second-equal on the official Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year table, with seven points from his first game. You would imagine he won’t be far from the top when round two’s table gets released on Tuesday.

Teams have found a way to beat the Crusaders

For so long, the Brumbies have been set-piece specialists, using their lineout drives and scrumming ability to bully teams off the park.

But against the Crusaders in Christchurch, the game plan needed to be adjustable. The Crusaders’ bread and butter, like the Brumbies, is the grunt work involved with the set-piece style of play.

Stephen Larkham’s side in the first half looked dangerous when they got the ball in hand, putting the Crusaders under all sorts of pressure when their ball carriers broke the gain line.

This is the way to beat the Crusaders, at least in 2026.

In the second half, when the Brumbies went wide, stretching the Crusaders’ defence, opportunities came from it. The Brumbies’ use of the short inside ball was magnificent, and the little chip kicks in behind the defence opened the game up completely.

Larkham’s side muscled up when they needed to, but the running game of their midfield duo, their barnstorming loose-forward trio, and their electrifying backs proved to be the difference on Sunday evening.

If more teams are to take it to the Crusaders, like the Highlanders did last week, and the Brumbies this week, Rob Penney’s side could be in for a challenging campaign.

Young lock impresses in defeat

Jamie Hannah may only be 196cm, which could be considered slightly smaller than a traditional Test lock, but he more than makes up for it through his hard work across the paddock.

The talent is clear, and his two appearances for the All Black XV in 2025 show you that he’s already in and around higher honours selection.

In Christchurch in round two, his skillset at the lineout made it difficult for the Brumbies to gain any sort of momentum with lineout drives. Hannah picked off two and made eleven tackles in the first half, two of which were dominant tackles that sent Brumbies players on the back foot.

Hannah’s skillset suits the modern-day game style, being able to handle the ball in midfield, be at the front of a ball-carrying pod, while getting around the field with a big motor also helps his case.

He’s only 23-years-old, and with Scott Barrett on a non-playing sabbatical for large parts of the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, Hannah will be a key cog in the Crusaders’ tight-five this season.

Milestone man delivers

You couldn’t have written a better script on James Slipper’s 200th Super Rugby Pacific appearance.

The 36-year-old may have gone off with what looked like a painful rib injury, but his performance before that, and the win from his side, is what counts at the end of the day.

Slipper, like he’s done for a number of games in his career, was solid at set-piece, this time against Fletcher Newell, and then popped up at the right place at the right time to score in the 29th minute.

The Brumbies won 100% of their scrums on their feed, and Slipper contributed with five carries and eight tackles in his performance.

It’s the Brumbies’ first victory in Christchurch for 26 years, a fitting way to showcase their appreciation for one of the longest servants in Super Rugby.