This was a barn-stormer, a sizzler, a game of real entertainment that either suggested the obituaries for Super Rugby have been premature or proved afternoon rugby remains king.
Eleven tries, the first nine of which alternated between the teams, and constant lead changes made for an intoxicating mix.
The Highlanders had one major slump — they coughed up 12 points when they were playing against 14 men — and missed the odd key tackle, but otherwise they returned some credit to the bank.
Freddie Burns, after a couple of prominent mistakes, delivered a first five masterclass, and combined beautifully with Folau Fakatava, a constant threat and presence at halfback.
Jona Nareki also showed plenty of pace and creativity and elusiveness on his first start in two years.
Up front, Billy Harmon and Hugh Renton were tireless, the latter having to play more than half the game at lock — alongside another loose forward in Shannon Frizell — when Josh Dickson went off injured.
The visitors were in the battle but the Brumbies were ruthless whenever they had the ball anywhere on attack, and they won the key moments with some class and composure.
The Brumbies stay second in the competition, while the Highlanders slip to 11th, and simply must win both their home games in the next two weeks to have any hope of a playoff spot.
The Highlanders were a mix of the inept and the inspired in the first half.
Inside the first five minutes, they had thrown a pass to grass, delivered another pass straight into the hands of Brumbies captain Nic White, and sent a kick out in the full.
Some worrying signs, then. But much of the rest of the first half belonged to the Highlanders as they showed some real creativity, mostly sparked by Burns and Nareki.
They scored their first try when Burns fired up an inch-perfect up-and-under. Nareki competed — the TMO ruled the ball came backwards off his arm then his head, funnily enough — and chased the loose ball.
Nareki showed his wonderful trickery to change direction twice and mark his first start in nearly two years with a popular try.
Jahrome Brown muscled over to respond for the Brumbies, but the Highlanders fired back with another cracker.
Burns showed slipperiness and skill to make good metres, and the ball popped up to rampaging prop Daniel Lienert-Brown for a rare try.
Again, the Brumbies replied quickly. Their forwards are simply ruthless inside the red zone, and this time it was Darcy Swain charging over from close range.
Fakatava made a wonderful try-saving ankle tap on a flying Tom Wright, and the visitors grabbed the lead at the break with a Burns penalty.
The first few minutes of the second half were chaotic bordering on crazy, and the Highlanders extended their lead when Burns timed his pass to perfection and Thomas Umaga-Jensen blasted down the flank for a try.
But — again — the Brumbies hit straight back with some silky handling and pace giving Corey Toole a try in the corner.
Then — again — the Highlanders returned with some aggressive phase play on attack before the alert Fakatava zipped over the line, the try immediately followed by Brumbies forward Luke Reimer being sent to the bin.
Punch and counter-punch. Tit for tat. Who would break first?
Regrettably, considering they had the man advantage, it was the Highlanders. But the try was so jaw-droppingly wonderful, you could hardly criticise them.
Brumbies winger Toole, having received a looping pass, took off from inside his own half and chipped ahead. Highlanders fullback Connor Garden-Bachop was bamboozled by the bounce, and Toole was able to nudge ahead before touching down.
A Noah Lolesio penalty gave the Brumbies some breathing space, and Samu got his second after a sensational break and offload from reserve hooker Connal McInerny.
Super Rugby
The scores
Brumbies 48
Corey Toole 2, Pete Samu 2, Len Ikitau, Jahrome Brown, Darcy Swain tries; Noah Lolesio 5 con, pen
Highlanders 32
Jona Nareki, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Thomas Umaga-Jensen, Folau Fakatava tries; Freddie Burns 3 con, 2 pen
Halftime: Highlanders 20-19.
