Being a man down for almost 20 minutes has failed to stop the Brumbies from recording a famous 38-28 Super Rugby victory over the Bulls.

The ACT team snapped a five-game losing streak in style, running over the top of the South African franchise in Pretoria with only 14 men.

The Brumbies’ hopes of bringing up their fourth win of the season looked gone when hooker Folau Fainga’a was red-carded in the 63rd minute for a headbutt on Bulls debutant Matthys Basson.

It was a case of deja vu for the Brumbies who lost lock Rory Arnold to a send-off in last week’s 42-24 defeat to the Lions.

They were only one point down when Fainga’a was sent off, but star Bulls five-eighth Handre Pollard extended the lead with a penalty goal immediately.

But instead of fading, the Brumbies lifted in a stunning attacking display inspired by fullback Tom Banks’ superb running try in the 72nd minute.

Banks’ try, which was converted by Wharenui Hawera off the bench, will go down as one of the best of the season as he dodged and weaved his way through the Bulls’ defence.

The former Queensland Red had his best game in Brumbies colours since joining the club in 2017 in a performance sure to catch the eye of Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.

Unheralded winger Andrew Muirhead sealed the deal four minutes later by giving the Brumbies a matchwinning 10-point advantage.

The Brumbies played some of their most free-flowing rugby of the season as Kyle Godwin, Lachlan McCaffrey and Fainga’a all crossed for tries.

For the Bulls, Pollard, Roelof Smit and Johnny Kotze nabbed five-pointers.

The win saw the Brumbies jump ahead of the Reds into third in the Australian conference, but they remain well behind Melbourne and the NSW Waratahs.