james slipper became the most capped player in Super Rugby history as the ACT Brumbies rallied from a 24-7 deficit to beat the Chiefs 33-24 in Canberra. The 203rd appearance was marked with a guard of honour from both sides and a dramatic late finish when Corey Toole intercepted in the 79th minute to seal the victory. The win capped a milestone night for the Brumbies prop and delivered a momentum-shifting result for his club.
James Slipper’s historic night in Canberra
james slipper recorded his 203rd Super Rugby cap, setting a new games record for the competition while playing his eighth season in the nation’s capital. The milestone was acknowledged on-field with a guard of honour from both teams after a match that saw the Brumbies recover from a big second-half deficit. The milestone night came as the 36-year-old celebrated a long rebuild of form and loyalty to his club after earlier setbacks in his career.
Match turning points and late drama
The hosts opened brightly with Hudson Creighton putting the Brumbies on the board early, but the Chiefs then dominated long periods of the first half. The visitors scored two tries through fullback Liam Coombes-Fabling and benefited from Damian McKenzie adding three points just after the siren to take a ten-point lead at the break. A long-range second-half try had the Chiefs in control at 24-7 near the hour mark.
james slipper watched as the Brumbies clawed their way back: Ryan Longeran sparked the comeback, Charlie Cale scored his eighth try of the season to narrow the margin, and Declan Meredith crossed to give the hosts the lead with five minutes remaining. The Chiefs pushed for a late reprieve but McKenzie missed a kickable penalty and the visitors’ final attempt to kick for a losing bonus point went out on the full. Corey Toole’s intercept in the 79th minute finished the contest and handed the Brumbies a memorable win.
What comes next for james slipper and the Brumbies
james slipper has said he is open to playing at least another season with the Brumbies and has not closed the door entirely on a Test return, though he described himself as retired from Test rugby. “I decided to come to Canberra, remember chatting to Dan McKellar at the time and he convinced me it was a beautiful place to live, ” James Slipper, prop, ACT Brumbies, said of his move to the club. He added that the Brumbies are a club that brings the best out of him and that he is proud of the achievement.
James Slipper, prop, ACT Brumbies, also reflected on past challenges: he was axed by the Queensland Reds and fined and suspended in 2018 following a second positive test for cocaine, a mistake he owned before rebuilding his career at the Brumbies. He retired from Test rugby last September with a record 151 caps and has signalled a desire to keep competing at Super Rugby level while putting the team’s needs first. “If you can’t get excited about that you shouldn’t be playing, in my mind, ” he said, underlining the personal significance of the milestone.
With the Super Rugby Pacific season underway, the Brumbies will move forward on the confidence of a comeback that kept james slipper’s record night firmly in the winners’ column. The club and its most-capped player will now turn to their next fixtures to see whether this result can kick-start a sustained run of form and whether james slipper will extend his stay at the top level.
