The Brumbies have been left reeling after capitulating 30-16 to the lowly Blues to put a cloud over their 2012 Super Rugby finals ambitions.
In their last game of the season, the Brumbies had a night to forget, scoring just one try to the Blues’ three for what was their heaviest loss of the year.
It’s the Tahs that could help deliver the Brumbies a finals berth, if they can deny Queensland from getting a four-try bonus-point victory later on Saturday.
The Brumbies just needed their own bonus point on Saturday by crossing for four tries or losing by seven points or less to ensure they finished top of the Australian Conference.
With so much to play for, coach Jake White said it was right that his players were feeling “morbid”.
“It would be a terrible way to end the season the way we’re standing in the change rooms right now,” White said after the match at Canberra Stadium.
“That’s not the ideal way you want to finish the season when you’ve been leading the conference the whole time.
“I’m just going to put a Waratahs top on and see if I can shout for the Waratahs.”
Brumbies skipper Ben Mowen conceded it was one of their poorest defensive efforts of the season, having missed a shocking 33 tackles.
“Our defence is only about attitude,” he said.
“You can put as many structures in as you like, but it comes down to how much you want it.
“The way they ran through us … our attitude was just off.”
It was just the third time this year the Brumbies had lost at home and the first time they’d lost to any team by more than seven points.
White said for all the Brumbies’ achievements this season, only finals action will make it all worthwhile.
“If we don’t get to the playoffs, it would be a failure because we were so close,” said White.
“There’s no use crying over spilt milk.
“Now it’s in the hands of the gods.”
White said doctors will need time to assess how badly Wallabies Dan Palmer (ankle) and Joe Tomane (leg) were injured during the first half, with both failing to return to the field.
Five-eighth Zack Holmes also appeared to hurt his shoulder but White refused to blame injuries for the loss.