Brumbies stay alive

Chisholm's last-minute touchdown provided the Brumbies with the vital bonus point they needed to leapfrog Waikato into fourth place in the standings midway through the final round of matches.

The Brumbies, who won the title in 2001 and 2004, can still miss out on the playoffs if South Africa's Bulls beat bottom-placed Queensland in Pretoria later on Saturday but scrumhalf George Gregan said his team were hoping for an upset.

The Brumbies had never won a Super 12 or Super 14 match at Otago's Carisbrook stadium but were never in danger of losing Saturday's clash after scoring three unanswered tries in the first half.

Fullback Julian Huxley scored the opening try after just nine minutes when he finished off a set move then wing Adam Ashley-Cooper crossed for the second five minutes later after bulldozing his way past some shabby defence down the left sideline.

Brumbies skipper Stirling Mortlock scored a third try just before the break to give his team a commanding 22-3 lead at the changeover.

However, the Brumbies struggled to maintain their rhythm in the second term after Gregan went off with an ankle injury which he later said was not serious.

Centre Jason Kawau scored Otago's only try three minutes from the end before the Brumbies sealed their bonus point with Chisholm's last-minute reply.

"We've just got to wait and hope the rugby gods will be kind to us," Gregan said.

"We realised we had to score four tries and get the bonus point to be a mathematical chance but now we just have to wait and see.

"If it is the end of our season, then it'll certainly be a good way to finish it."