A knee injury to Brumbies five-eighth Matt Toomua could signal Pat McCabe’s return to the midfield, but coach Jake White insists the move won’t be rushed ahead of Friday’s Super Rugby away clash with the impressive Chiefs.
Toomua played all 80 minutes in the Brumbies’ thrilling 24-23 victory over the Cheetahs on Saturday, but looks set to miss up to a month because of medial ligament damage.
White has the option of switching Christian Lealiifano from inside centre to the vacant playmaker role and bringing McCabe – who is one game into his return from shoulder surgery – in from the wing to the midfield role he filled for the Wallabies at last year’s World Cup.
White wants him in the midfield but won’t make the change until he’s confident McCabe is ready.
“The object eventually is that we want to try and get Pat into the midfield (but) whether it’s this weekend or not … we’ve got to make a call on that,” said White on Tuesday.
“He has played with Christian at No.10 and he’s played at No.12, so it has been a combination that’s worked.
“But (it’s a question of) whether or not he’s fit – his shoulder operation and that – whether he’s actually got the confidence to defend that channel or not.”
McCabe pulled up well after a solid game against the Cheetahs, which included a try in the second half.
The Brumbies also have the option of calling up understudy five-eighth Zack Holmes, although White hinted the talent-packed Chiefs backline could prove too tough a challenge for the 21-year-old in his Super Rugby debut.
“Whether or not it’s the right week to play him at No.10 when you’re playing (Aaron) Cruden, Sonny Bill Williams and (Richard) Kahui as a combination – that’s the tough one.”
The fourth-placed Brumbies have enjoyed a dream start on the field under White’s reign with two close wins from two games, but face easily their biggest test so far against the rampaging Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday.
“That team’s just come off beating the Blues and the Crusaders and that’s phenomenal to get those in two consecutive weekends,” White said.
“They ended (last season) higher than the two teams we played in the last two weekends as well.”
The match is the Brumbies’ first away from Canberra Stadium this season and their first six-day turnaround, which also has to take in the day’s travel to New Zealand.
“It’s a different for us as a group because we’ve never, ever had to deal with a travelling thing like this,” said White.
“But it’ll get tougher as we go along. It doesn’t get any easier.”
Brumbies touring squad: Ben Alexander, Sam Carter, Scott Fardy, Anthony Hegerty, Zack Holmes, Michael Hooper, Peter Kimlin, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Pat McCabe, Jesse Mogg, Stephen Moore, Ben Mowen, Ruaidhri Murphy, Dan Palmer, Leon Power, Ian Prior, Andrew Smith, Henry Speight, Joe Tomane, Ita Vaea, Nic White.
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