Updated June 29, 2019 15:58:02

Photo: The Brumbies suffered a shattering 39-7 defeat in their Super Rugby semi-final in Buenos Aires. (Flickr: Jaguares Argentina)

The Brumbies' Super Rugby finals dream has been dashed in a brutal fashion, suffering a massive defeat to the Argentinian Jaguares.

The Jaguares piled on 20 points in the opening 20 minutes of the semi-final in front of 30,000 fans in Buenos Aires, and were never seriously threatened from there.

The Argentinian side — which some commentators have criticised for carrying the strength of an international Test side in a provincial competition — wound up wiping out the last Australian Super Rugby hope 39 points to 7.

The Jaguares will now take on either the Canterbury Crusaders or Wellington Hurricanes in the final, with those two sides to meet late on Saturday.

It is a shattering loss for a Brumbies side that was carrying plenty of momentum going into the match, and an endpoint to a rare piece of good news for a code battling for clean air over the ongoing Israel Folau-sacking saga.

The side had won seven consecutive games heading into this morning's final, their longest single-season winning streak.

And they were carrying the hopes of a swag of senior figures looking to farewell the club on the best possible note.

Brumbies captain Christian Lealiifano is now bound for Japan, lock Rory Arnold will head to France and winger Henry Speight is joining the Queensland Reds.

Star flanker David Pocock played his last match for the club months ago, forced into an early farewell due to a calf injury — and hopes to return for the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship next month.

Lealiifano said it was a tough outcome to swallow.

"I'm really disappointed in that one," he told broadcaster ESPN.

"They were very good tonight, they put us under a lot of pressure.

"We just couldn't get back on top, the game was to-ing and fro-ing, we got in it late in that first half, but the Jaguares were very good tonight."

Early errors take a heavy toll

The warning signs were clear from the opening minutes, when an uncharacteristic backline mix-up saw Jaguares halfback Tomas Cubelli — a former Brumby — pounce on a loose ball and score in the fourth minute.

The scoring kept up at a point-a-minute throughout the first quarter, as the Jaguares dominated possession and field position.

Most critically, they rattled the Brumbies' line-out — one of the side's key attacking weapons.

In the first 24 minutes of the match, the Brumbies lost more of their own line-outs than they won.

But despite the poor start, the Australian side marched into the sheds at half-time feeling confident - with a Folau Faingaa try on the siren leaving them within two converted tries, at 20 points to 7.

The momentum did not hold up long however, as the Jaguares' backline turned another Brumbies error into points in the 49th minute — picking up a dropped ball to race 60 metres and score.

The Jaguares had done their homework, shutting down the Brumbies set-pieces and forcing errors with aggressive defence, fully earning a place in the Super Rugby final next weekend.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar conceded his side was soundly defeated.

"We were constantly turning over possession, failed to build any pressure and have any field position," he said.

"But you have to take your hats off to the opposition, they were outstanding tonight and deserved the win."

Topics: sport, rugby-union, super-rugby, canberra-2600, argentina

First posted June 29, 2019 14:53:58