The ACT Brumbies secured a 33-24 victory over the Waikato Chiefs at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Friday night, overcoming a 17-point deficit in the final 24 minutes. The result avenged their 2025 Super Rugby Pacific semi-final elimination at the hands of the same opposition.
The match coincided with a historic milestone for 36-year-old prop James Slipper, who made his 203rd Super Rugby appearance to surpass former Crusaders loosehead Wyatt Crockett as the most-capped player in the competition’s history.
The Chiefs established a 17-7 halftime lead, driven by Damian McKenzie. McKenzie recorded a try, 24 passes, and 70 metres gained to build the early advantage.
Trailing by 17 points with 24 minutes remaining, the Brumbies initiated an offensive sequence that yielded three tries in just over 10 minutes. Captain Ryan Lonergan and Charlie Cale both crossed the line to erase the deficit. In the 78th minute, Corey Toole recovered a Chiefs knock-on and ran the length of the field to score the final try and seal the nine-point victory.
Slipper played 52 minutes of the fixture, registering five tackles and 12 metres. Operating in one of the most physically demanding positions in sports, he took the field wearing a custom jersey featuring a golden number one and received a guard of honour from both teams.
The milestone adds to a 16-season club career that began with the Queensland Reds in 2010, where he won the 2011 championship, before transferring to the Brumbies in 2019. Slipper also holds the national longevity record, having made 151 Test appearances to become the most-capped Wallaby of all time before his international retirement in late 2025. He stated his body remains in good condition and has not ruled out extending his Super Rugby tenure into 2027.