Roar Guru
The Chiefs as expected have secured a comfortable win over a Brumbies team that had its focus entirely on next week’s home final.
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Final score
Chiefs 28
Brumbies 10
With the Super Rugby finals just a week away, the ACT Brumbies will be looking for a confidence boost as they bid to upset the Chiefs away from home. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 3:15pm AEST.
The Brumbies have rested stars in a bid to avoid injuries before the finals and will be without 345 caps worth of experience from the side that lost to the Reds last weekend.
Captain Sam Carter and Wallabies Allan Ala’alatoa, Tevita Kuridrani and Joe Powell have all been rested after heavy workloads this season.
Scott Fardy, Henry Speight and Wharenui Hawera are the only players retained in the starting XV while Jordan Jackson-Hope gets his run-on debut at fullback and scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan could earn his first cap from the bench.
Christian Lealiifano’s comeback has been put on ice for another week because of a hamstring strain, but the inspirational playmaker is on track to play his first game in 11 months in the Super Rugby finals.
The Brumbies have secured a finals spot and already know they will play either the Chiefs or Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium in the finals on July 21.
Scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli starts his first game of the season after suffering a pre-season knee injury, while Andrew Smith shifts to inside centre and Nigel Ah Wong replaces Kuridrani at outside centre.
Speight will give provide stability in the back three with Jackson-Hope replacing Tom Banks and James Dargaville starting on the opposite wing.
The Chiefs meanwhile have also rested three stars – Brodie Retallick, Sam Cane and Anton Lienert-Brown – after a draining series against the British and Irish Lions.
Prediction
It has been a tough campaign for Australia’s Super Rugby conference but the Brumbies have done enough to secure a home final next week, and with nothing to lose today, should ask some questions of the Chiefs defence.
Although the Chiefs have left a few star names out of their side this afternoon, they remain a formidable outfit, particularly in New Zealand and remain strong favourites to secure another win against Australian opposition.
Chiefs by 14