Record-breaker Slipper a winner, Hurricanes and Blues top Super Rugby standings

SYDNEY, March 21 - The ACT Brumbies sent record-breaker James Slipper home a winner, the Auckland Blues sealed a third straight victory and the Wellington Hurricanes doled out another thrashing to top the Super Rugby Pacific standings at the end of round six.

Slipper passed fellow prop Wyatt Crockett to become the most capped Super Rugby player of all time on Friday in Canberra when he took the field against the Waikato Chiefs for his 203rd game.

The Brumbies trailed 24-7 at the hour mark but four tries in the final quarter -- the last a 95-metre effort off an interception from Corey Toole -- gave the home side a 33-24 win.

"What a game tonight, It was a tough result for the Chiefs but we stuck in the fight and came away with the result," Slipper said after receiving a trophy marking his feat from former All Black Crockett.

"It's been a hell of a journey. To have the ability to play for so long and continue to enjoy the game is something I really love."

The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Brumbies and put them in third place on 19 points, one behind the Hurricanes and Blues.

The Hurricanes had earlier kept up their impressive form with a 50-7 victory over the Otago Highlanders, the third time they have reached the 50-point mark in five matches this season.

The Highlanders scored first through fullback Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens in the sixth minute before All Blacks scrumhalf Cam Roigard put the visitors in front with two tries in the space of seven minutes.

From then on it was one-way traffic with winger Fehi Fineanganofo grabbing his second hat-trick of the season as the Hurricanes put on a masterclass in ruthless finishing at Dunedin Stadium.

The Blues trailed 20-8 early in the second half against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney but two tries from centre AJ Lam and further scores from winger Cody Vai and replacement back Torian Barnes gave them a comfortable 35-20 win.

The Queensland Reds moved up to fourth on 18 points after conquering the Lautoka heat on Saturday and notching their first ever win in Fiji with a 21-6 bonus-point victory over the Drua.

The home side were kept try-less and five-pointers from scrumhalf Kalani Thomas, flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips and hooker Richie Asiata combined with a huge defensive effort gave the Reds a fourth straight win for the first time since 2022.

In Saturday's second game, the reigning champion Canterbury Crusaders won back-to-back for the first time this season with a 50-21 victory over bottom team Moana Pasifika in Auckland. REUTERS