Brumbies reshuffle backline
By Bonny Symons-Brown, 22 Apr 2009 Bonny Symons-Brown is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- Brumbies, Hurricanes, Rugby League, Super Rugby
The injury-plagued Brumbies will again reshuffle their backline ahead of Saturday’s Super 14 clash against the Hurricanes in New Zealand.
Coach Andy Friend said the ACT side’s final line-up will turn on winger Alfie Mafi’s recovery from a groin injury.
“We have still got a couple of injury concerns, the main one being Alfie Mafi to see whether he pulls through,” Friend told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.
“He trained very well yesterday, he is going to do about an 80 per cent session today and if he gets through that … it gives us a couple of options.
“We could possibly look to use Gene (Fairbanks) in the 10 position, Tyrone (Smith) at 12 and Stirling (Mortlock) at 13.
“But if he doesn’t we will probably look to go the other way with maybe (Matt) Toomua at 10.”
It would be welcome news for the 19-year-old flyhalf, who is keen to get off the bench and start from his favoured spot.
Toomua shrugged off suggestions he would be targeted by an in-form Hurricanes outfit playing with a home-ground advantage in Wellington.
“If I’m picked I’m ready, I know I am, I’ll be confident out there,” he said.
“Had a few runs at 10 during the game and obviously at training we’re filling in all the time so it will be a simple transition for me.
“You want to be starting, you want to be playing 10, so I’m not going to hide that.
“I want to be picked but if I’m not Friendy is doing what is best for the team and I back him.”
However the side, who won their third straight game against the Bulls on Friday night to keep their finals dreams alive, will not welcome back injured fullback Mark Gerrard in time for Saturday’s hit out.
Gerrard suffered a hamstring injury following a training session last week.
Friend said allowing Gerrard to return to the field so soon was risky and he would reluctantly sideline him until he’d made a full recovery.
“He is making all the right noises but he did that last year and then put himself out for the rest of the season, so as much as I’d like to use him he’s done a hamstring and he’s probably another week away.”
Meanwhile winger Clyde Rathbone will sit out another game after aggravating an ongoing quadricep injury.
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April 22nd 2009 @ 1:43pm
Hemjay said | April 22nd 2009 @ 1:43pm | Report comment
The Brumbies are about to be blown off the park.
They were so dam lucky last weekend to come away with the win. No one in their right mind could say the Brumbies were the better team. They were fortunate that the ref had such a shocker in allowing two tries that should never have been given. When the refs stop walking on eggshells around this team we will see them for the team they are. Also rans
April 22nd 2009 @ 4:40pm
Nird99 said | April 22nd 2009 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
Hemjay, Were you at the game last week. The Brumbies had the bulk of possession and field position for most of the game, other than a 20 minute period at the start of the second half. The brumbies had more phase ball and created more genuine opportunities. Yes the Brumbies scored a lucky try, but the bulls did as well. They had the intercept try as well as the early second half try that came after a suspect knock on from the bulls at the base of a ruck.
Both teams had poor calls against them. I think the standard of refereeing this year has been double what it has been in the last 3 or 4 years.
April 22nd 2009 @ 4:48pm
Todd Day said | April 22nd 2009 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
Hemjay,
Get over yourself you sound dissapointed maybe your team is just not that good. As for the Brumbies lets look at the also rans Holmes and Lealiifano, U19 world cup winners…no other aussie side has ever won that I think? Mortlock (wallaby capt) Fairbanks (walk in to any S14 side) Smith a star in the making, Ashley-Cooper and Mark Gerrard are soon to be great wallabies, Fainifo, Rathbone, Phibbs yeah I don’t know how you would come up with also rans? Wallaby hooker, three wallaby props, smith the only 7 that measures up to Richie? Some very good players really….I just hope it isn’t true that Christian has signed with the Hurricanes today that would be dissappointing even with Gits coming back I think Christian has shown us what a star of the future he is! Playing alongside gits I think he’d be a super star.
April 22nd 2009 @ 5:11pm
Hemjay said | April 22nd 2009 @ 5:11pm | Report comment
the intercept try you are talking about just reinforces the Brumbies poor decision making and the silly mistakes they are making when they are under pressure. As for your suspect knock on you mention it just once again one eyed brumbies supporters. The brumbies won of two trys one of which no ref would normally have given without checking upstairs. had this been done they would have seen it was a no try and should have a awarded the penalty to the brumbies for the infringement at the lineout. even with the penalty there is no guarantee they would have kicked it and had they this would have left them one pointt shy of the winning margin of the end result. the second try is not even worth talking about as it was so obvious and the only ones who can’t seem to see it were the ref and his assisants and one eyed brumbies supporters.
The result will stand there’s nothing that can be done about it, but to tell me the Brumbies played the superior game is laughable they were very very luck in a game where the ref was too scared to blow his whistle.
April 22nd 2009 @ 6:29pm
Hemjay said | April 22nd 2009 @ 6:29pm | Report comment
Smith measuring up to McCaw, I’ll have some of what you have been smoking.
April 22nd 2009 @ 7:03pm
ballboy said | April 22nd 2009 @ 7:03pm | Report comment
Oh dear Hemjay, you are fast becoming a sorry excuse for a NZ supporter on this and every other blog. Your continual insistance of attaching the Brumbies makes me think you must have once attended Daramarlan or Sterling College and were booted out for continually being a prat.. What is yourfacsination with bagging this side? Who is your team? Whoever they are, I feel sorry for them having such a jaded supporter as you. I’d love to sit down and watch the game with you with a remote in one hand to take you through the game we all saw. as I said before, a team doesn’t win or lose on one incident. If yje Bulls were far more superior as you state then why didn’t they run away with it – AGAIN playing against 14 men for 1/8th of the match?
Come on dribble man, serve up some more utter nonsense.
April 22nd 2009 @ 8:33pm
Hemjay said | April 22nd 2009 @ 8:33pm | Report comment
Well Ballboy like every blog you post on you obviously never read what i actually write. You fly off the handle and then make foolish little insinuations. Because ballboy if you had read my posts you would have gathered that I support the Hurricanes who are currently in the top 4 I have also stated that I din’t think they would make the top four come the final tally up. So could you explain this to me how this makes me a Jaded supporter I also have stated that David Smiths try against the Force came off a dodgy pass. But of course a ballboy like you only likes to read what you want to read then like your mate Gold twist and turn facts to try and make yourself look good while at the same time Kiwi bash, when in turn I take up the challenge and give it back to you, you just can’t seem to handle the Jandal .
I have never rated this Brumbies team and I will not pussy around and gloss over what was a lucky game. Nor will I sing a teams praises who before the bulls game their previous two wins were over celllar dwellers.
I have always rated the Force and once I foolish backed the reds to beat the lions. While the Force may not be at the top they have beaten all the other Australian Franchise and if anyone has a realistic chance of making a charge to the finals from Australia I think the force are the team to do it.
And by the way the Bulls are not my team, and I have stated before in the SMH and it seems now everyone else is using the same quote after I posted it on Sunday that maybe this result was Karma towards the Bulls after Goddardgate.
So before you start rallying people to arms you might actually want to take the time to actually read what others right before flying off the handle and making absurd claims.
So Ballboy can you tell me who holds the Super 14 crown? Because Australias never held it. Yes thats right Ballboy no team from Australia has ever held the S14 you may actually want to take some time to think before you answer that.
But until you can think and read I guess you’ll still be running the balls and drinks along the sideline as your name suggests while the real men talk rugby
April 22nd 2009 @ 9:17pm
ballboy said | April 22nd 2009 @ 9:17pm | Report comment
Hemjay, the problem s that it is impossible to read all the tripe you deliver. In state of origin RL we have a tradition where the losing state flies the flag of the opposing team after the loss for a week. I tell you what. Let’s have a wager. Whichever team wins this week – Brumbies or Canes, vis-a-vie you or I, the other refrains from posting a blog for the week. Deal?
April 22nd 2009 @ 9:58pm
Hemjay said | April 22nd 2009 @ 9:58pm | Report comment
Deal
What I was trying to say Ballboy before once again you come in trying to be the big macho go from the outback.
I can’t say the rubbish you post is much better.
It will be a great pleasure not to have to read your nonsense for a week
April 23rd 2009 @ 3:20am
sportym said | April 23rd 2009 @ 3:20am | Report comment
Hemjay mate, look at the ladder, 2-3 wins/ losses and you are either on the bottom or the top. Say what you want about the Brumbies but all teams have been lacklustre this year, alot of luck involved and some hopeless reffing. Given the Brumbies have control of their own destiny and are in a position to host a semi final is they win their remaining matching, that is not a bad thing. And the lads are playing for their fallen mate so best of luck to them.
I am sure you were not going riding off the sharks cause they had a shocker against the cheetahs.