Tony Doherty and his charges couldn’t have asked for a better start to the clash as they went ahead inside the opening 10 minutes as left-wing Darcy Read put the visitors in front with a well-taken try.

Samantha Wood, playing at fullback, missed the conversion, but she made amends five minutes later by banging over a penalty to increase the advantage.

The home side, who had been heavily beaten by Queensland at Ballymore last weekend on the back of a thrashing from Western Australia, responded well as you would expect from a team playing their first match in front of the home-town supporters.

A penalty from scrumhalf Georgia Cormick made it 3-8.

But the Brumbies were looking good in attack and their pressure was rewarded when their own number nine, Remi Wilton, darted over for the second try of the afternoon.

Wood added the extras and suddenly the lead was out to twelve points.

Not to be outdone however, the Rebels struck back with a vengeance and gave themselves a fighting chance of a second half recovery as Ashley Marsters, who had been impressive throughout from number eight, barged her way over the line out wide.

It may be a sporting cliché, but the next score was likely to be crucial in deciding the outcome of the contest and, perhaps fittingly, it was the Brumbies longest serving player who came up with the goods.

The second half was only eight minutes old when Wallaroos hooker Louise Burrows used her strength and tenacity to force her way over the line from close range.

Sensing the chance to take control of proceedings the visitors upped the tempo and a sustained set of phases inside the Rebels danger-zone was finished when number eight Tayla Stanford gleefully accepted the pass to go over.

By now the Brumbies were in relaxed mode and controlling the contest, adding their fifth try of the afternoon when right-wing Talei Wilson took advantage of excellent approach play by Wood and Read to score. Wood added the extras as the gap started to grow.

There was still more to come and Captain Shellie Milward got in on the act, intercepting a wayward Rebels pass to streak away from the cover defence and claim try number six to seal a historic win.