Brumbies

Fekitoa was under concussion protocol after taking a head knock and leaving the field in the first half of his team's 41-15 loss to the Hurricanes last weekend.

However, he and first-five eighth Fletcher Smith, who left the field in the second half after taking a high shot from Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara, have both been declared fit. 

Their availability came as music to the ears of Coach Tony Brown, whose side has been ravaged by injury through the first month of the Super Rugby competition.

A prodigy and a veteran all wrapped in one, Hooper’s Super Rugby ton will add to a host of accolades that continue to rack up.

He certainly didn’t look out of place when he made his debut for the Brumbies, against the Chiefs, replacing 111-Test flanker George Smith and crossing for a try along the way.

“I felt well out of my depth for quite a while,” he said.

“It’s a tough competition. It is tough, it’s fast, it’s physical.

“It seems like an absolute age ago and (I had) a lot of scars and cuts less but loving it all the same.”

The first five-eighth had surgery on Sunday for a fractured bone in his left hand. Mo'unga told team management it was sore after they held on for a 17-13 victory at AMI Stadium on Saturday night.

"He is recovering well and expected to require approximately six to eight weeks before returning to play," the team said in a press release on Sunday night.

It seems likely Marty McKenzie will take over from Mo'unga against the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday evening.

Seta Tamanivalu and Whetu Douglas also went over for the home side, with Richie Mo'unga adding a conversion as a determined Crusaders recorded their seventh successive victory over the Canberra-based side.

Lock Rory Arnold scored an early second half try for the Brumbies, while flyhalf Wharenui Hawera added two penalties and a conversion.

The Crusaders had made a blistering start with All Blacks centre Tamanivalu, playing on the wing, scoring after just three minutes of his first official Super Rugby game for the seven-times champions since his transfer from the Chiefs.

The Highlanders have typically found the Brumbies' headquarters a frigid, hostile environment when it was known as Bruce Stadium, but interest has waned dramatically in the Australian capital despite the two-time champions claiming Australia's conference.

RNZI reports the defending champions outscored the visitors from Canberra two tries to one in the 23-10 victory.

Match day in the deep south of New Zealand didn't start well for the Brumbies, who had to take taxis to the ground after their team bus broke down.

The Crusaders are second in both the Australasian and New Zealand conferences as well as second overall.

The Crusaders scored six tries to two, as they inflicted the worst-ever home losing margin on the Brumbies.

The Brumbies may have ended the New South Wales Waratahs' finals hopes with a hoodoo-busting and bruising 26-20 Super Rugby triumph in Sydney.

An historic tryscoring hat-trick from winger Joe Tomane helped the Brumbies skip 11 points clear of their arch rivals in the Australian conference, after securing their first win at Allianz Stadium in 14 years.

RNZI reports Vaea was forced off the field during the Brumbies Super Rugby game against the Chiefs early this month because of ongoing difficulties with his heart.

The 27-year-old said he was disappointed to be leaving the game, and that playing super rugby had been a "special journey".

The free-running Chiefs side, led by skilful fullback Damian McKenzie, made light work of the competition's best defensive team, banking a bonus point by scoring six tries to two in front of 13,300 fans at GIO Stadium.

It was their first win in Canberra since 2008 and fourth straight on the road after six rounds.