Hurricanes breathed new life into their Super Rugby campaign with a "huge" 35-29 takedown of the Brumbies, the first New Zealand team to win in Australia this season.
The vital victory on Saturday evening vaulted them from eighth to fifth on the table and into the play-off places with four games of the regular season left.
It also snapped a run of six consecutive defeats in Canberra dating back to 2017.
"It was a huge win for us. We needed it. It was almost our season on the line," said delighted All Blacks centre Billy Proctor, who scored the first of the 'Canes five tries.
"Coming here, we hadn't won here since 2017 and I think I've been part of every loss we've been a part of in that span so it feels awesome to come here and get the win."
Lest we forget. We had an incredible Anzac Weekend Round with @brumbiesrugby 🤝
— Hurricanes Rugby (@Hurricanesrugby) April 27, 2025
Ngā mihi nui to the Brumbies, ACT Government, Wellington City Council and Super Rugby Pacific for making our visit so special, and thanks to everyone in Canberra for their hospitality this week. pic.twitter.com/X9Yb0fyF11
The 'Canes dominated possession and territory, taking a 20-15 lead into half-time. They extended it to a 13-point buffer with 20 minutes left as wingers Kini Naholo and Ngatungane Punivai both bagged braces.
But the Brumbies kept coming and closed the gap, only to run out of time to find the converted try they needed for the win.
Despite the upset, the Brumbies remain third on the ladder. But they slipped further behind the table-topping Chiefs and Crusaders and are now eight points adrift.
"I thought that was a really good performance from the Hurricanes. They had really good variety with their attack and held the ball for long passages," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham.
"We defended quite well, I thought. We missed a few tackles out wide, but we scrambled well and held them out for long periods on our line.
"However, in the end, their ball movement and their recycling was pretty impressive out there."
The Brumbies host the Waratahs next while the Hurricanes return home to play the Chiefs.