The Brumbies scored six tries in an Australian derby classic, but they fell short of their Super Rugby finals goal. The ACT side will miss the play-offs for the first time since 2012.
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THE MOMENT THAT KILLED THE BRUMBIES
In the end, it came down to a high tackle that had nothing to do with the Brumbies or the Waratahs.
The defining moment of the Brumbies season happened in the deep south of New Zealand, when an Otago Highlanders player was penalised for a high tackle on a Melbourne Rebels player.
The Rebels were confused, but settled on slotting a penalty goal to get them within six points rather than losing by nine points. And the losing bonus-point signalled the end of the Brumbies' season because they were never going to catch the Rebels, regardless of what happened in Sydney.
The Brumbies, though, only have themselves to blame for a year of missed opportunities. They needed a miracle in the last round of the season to make the finals, relying on three results going their way to book a finals ticket.
So they'll look back at the winnable games they lost. The top-of-the-ladder Canterbury Crusaders, the Argentina Jaguares and the Rebels. All games they should have won in Canberra. All games they had chances in. And all games they walked away frustrated after a loss.
ARE THE BRUMBIES BACK?
It seems crazy to suggest that about a team that missed the finals. But this was the game in Sydney was the one Brumbies fans have been waiting for. This was the sort of performance that puts bums on seats. This was the type of rugby people want to watch.
The Brumbies left their run to the finals too late, but the way they played in the last six games of the regular season showed enough to suggest there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
New Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has been trying to implement a fear-free style of rugby to take the franchise into the future.
They started the year fearing mistakes. They ended the year as bold attacking unit willing to run from anywhere and back themselves.
Their season ended before we got a chance to see if it was a flash in the pan or an exciting look into the future. But if they keep treading the same path, entertaining rugby will be back in Canberra.
WHERE TO NOW?
First job: Re-sign Christian Lealiifano. Second job: Keep training like attacking beasts.
The Brumbies are waiting for Lealiifano to make a decision about his future, with the co-captain yet to decide if he will stay in Canberra are move his career abroad.
He is expected to make a decision within a month, and if he chooses to go the Brumbies need to find some quality inside backs to fill the holes left by the veteran and Kyle Godwin.
Several Brumbies are leaving the club, including Godwin, Andrew Smith, Isi Naisarani, Robbie Abel and Richie Arnold.
But the core is sticking together, which will give coach Dan McKellar confidence of taking another major step forward next year.
BANKS AND KURIDRANI PLAY WAY INTO GOLD
Tom Banks' form has been irresistible to end the season. He showed his blistering speed in the first two minutes of the game when he flew passed Waratahs defenders to score the opener.
He has been on the cusp of Wallabies duties this year and Test coach Michael Cheika would have been happy with what he saw from the livewire fullback.
Banks won't replace Israel Folau in the gold No. 15 jersey, but he's certainly done enough to warrant a crack on the wing or at least the bench before the end of the year.
Tevita Kuridrani also bounced back in emphatic style, putting a slow start to the year behind him to roar back to his best in the closing stages of the season.
He cut Folau in half multiple times and seems like he's found a new attacking edge to his game after dropping three kilograms in the mid-year Wallabies camp. With Samu Kerevi out of action, Kuridrani is a certainty for the Wallabies' No. 13 spot.
