Brumbies' finals within reach after Sunwolves' bonus-point win

The Brumbies secured a crucial bonus-point win in Tokyo, beating the Japan Sunwolves 42-19 to move five points clear in the race for Australia's guaranteed ticket to the finals.

The Brumbies will next play the NSW Waratahs, who found a spark for their faint play-off hopes when they beat the Melbourne Rebels on Friday night.

Australian crowds have been down for every team this year as fans grow more and more reluctant to embrace Super Rugby and it's always-changing format.

But World Cup hopeful Banks, who is a contender to replace Israel Folau in the Wallabies' No. 15 jersey, wants supporters to jump on board for the last two games of the regular season.

The Brumbies could secure their finals spot as early as next weekend when they play the Waratahs at the new Parramatta stadium before finishing the regular season with a clash against the Queensland Reds in Canberra.

"Australian rugby has struggled in the last few years, but all of the Australian teams are putting on a good performance," Banks said.

"We really need the support and the crowds to get around us because we need to start building again.

"It was a good win [against the Sunwolves] and it gives us confidence leading into an Aussie derby, we know we're going to have to perform well against the Waratahs. It's a big one."

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Banks scored a first-half try and hooker Connal McInerney completed a second-half hat-trick to help the Brumbies to a 23-point win in hot conditions.

The Brumbies are now on 39 points, trailed by the Rebels (34 points) and the Waratahs (30 points). The five-point margin will be daunting for the Rebels given they play two New Zealand teams to finish the year, taking on the Waikato Chiefs and Canterbury Crusaders.

The Waratahs' task isn't much easier. They need to beat the Brumbies and then the Otago Highlanders, as well as juggling the requirement of resting five Wallabies stars in at least one of those games.

The more likely scenario for Waratahs is trying to sneak into the top eight on merit rather than winning the Australian conference and being guaranteed a top-three spot.

The Brumbies, though, are riding high after hitting form at the right end of the season. The win against the Sunwolves was their fourth in a row and they have now won six of their past seven games this season. It's the first time they have won four consecutive games since 2016.

"We worked really, really hard for it there. The Sunwolves are a fantastic team and they put us under a lot of pressure," said Brumbies captain Christian Lealiifano.

"We had to find different ways to get some momentum back. I thought our forwards were amazing today and put in a big shift."

The Brumbies showed some razzle dazzle in the first half with Banks, Pete Samu and Irae Simone scoring off back-line moves.

But they didn't have it all their own way, Hosea Saumaki stunning the visitors to score a try in the first minute and Semisi Masirewa slicing open the Brumbies and brushing off weak defenders to give the game extra spark.

The Brumbies lost Henry Speight to a knee injury after half-time and the change led coach Dan McKellar to inject fresh blood.

McInerney was the first on to replace Folau Faingaa at hooker and he touched down for his first almost immediately.

It was the start of the Brumbies returning to their reliable rolling maul to edge them closer and closer to a bonus point and the finals.

The thorn in the side was Masirewa, cut straight through the Brumbies again and then set up Jamie Booth for another Sunwolves try.

But it was almost impossible to stop the rolling maul and McInerney completed his hat-trick to give the Brumbies their bonus point and a healthy advantage over the Rebels.

"We all talk about the rolling maul all the time," said Wallabies legend Tim Horan on Fox Sports.

"We get sick of talking about it. But it's a real weapon for the Brumbies and they know how to use it now.

"They don't overuse it. They scored three tries from it, but they spread the ball wide and I like the way Christian Lealiifano has really matured as a player."

The Brumbies have now won eight games this season. It's their highest winning tally since 2016 and has given the players confidence they can be genuine contenders this year.

AT A GLANCE

ACT BRUMBIES 49 (Connal McInerney 3, Pete Samu, Irae Simone, Tom Banks tries; Christian Lealiifano 7 conversions) bt JAPAN SUNWOLVES 19 (Hosea Saumaki, Semisi Masirewa, Jamie Booth tries; Hayden Parker 2 conversions) at Prince Chichibu Stadium, Tokyo. Referee: Federico Anselmi.