- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Brumbies take on the Waratahs in Canberra tonight in what will be a season defining match for both sides. The Brumbies backs are looking in much stronger form than their Waratah counterparts but I’ll leave the analysis of them to others.
The forward packs present some intriguing match-ups and I’ve put together a head to head review.
Benn Robinson versus Dan Palmer. Two excellent scrum technicians.
Robinson is the undisputed master of Aussie scrummaging and Palmer is the heir apparent. Neither has a huge work-rate around the field with the younger Palmer slightly more prominent but Robinson has lifted in this area in the last few weeks.
Robinson has dominated each Aussie tighthead he has met so far this year and if Palmer can counter him then his stocks will rise for the internationals coming later in the year. I am very excited about this scrum battle, hopefully the Waratahs are running right to left on the TV screen in the first half so the camera men give us a good view of the best of it.
Sekope Kepu versus Ben Alexander. On the other side of the scrum we have a similarly close battle that, to be fair, is not as of high quality. Both players bring a lot more in the loose, particularly with ball carrying, however Alexander isn’t the try scoring demon he was a couple of years ago and Kepu is in a pack with a lot of ball runners. Both players will probably serve their team better by focusing on the tight and cleaning out
Tatafu Polota-Nau versus Stephen Moore. Polota-Nau made some very strong carries last week but not many of them, he’ll need to look for more work this week. He is certainly the stronger runner but his work rate is nowhere near that of his opponent. They are both strong scrummagers, both have had issues with throwing and are fairly evenly matched at the set piece. If general play is the differentiating factor will it be the quality of Polota-Nau’s efforts or the quantity of Moore’s that wins out?
Sitaleki Timani versus Scott Fardy. Fardy is one of the main ball carriers in the Brumbies pack, Sitaleki would like to be for the Tahs but his hands have let him down in the past. Fardy is industrious at the breakdown while Timani is a wrecking ball in that area. If Timani keeps his focus on that breakdown he’ll be doing his team a lot of favours. Sitaleki can carry the ball strongly but with other runners in the pack it is his breakdown efforts that are going to be most important.
Kane Douglas versus Sam Carter. Carter is the most mobile loose forward on either side, followed by Fardy and Moore. The mobility of this Brumbies pack is in direct contrast to the power being brought by the Waratahs with Kane Douglas and his partner Timani both tipping the scales in excess of 120kg’s. The Waratahs will have to structure their patterns to ensure their presence at the breakdown is effective and the battle of fitness versus power is one of the key elements of this game.
Dave Dennis versus Ben Mowen. These two are quite closely matched and both are having good seasons. Dennis will be the lineout leader for the Waratahs and is providing both a direct running option as well as link play for his team. Mowen is playing a tighter, breakdown-oriented game and is leading his side with great effect. Both will be crucial to their side’s performance, not least due to their leadership duties.
Jono Jenkins versus Michael Hooper. I’m really looking forward to this battle on the weekend. Hooper has been in fantastic form for the Brumbies but is moving to the Waratahs next year. Jenkins has only received his opportunity due to injuries to Chris Alcock and Pat McCutcheon – he will be effectively playing head to head for his Waratahs future on Saturday. Jenkins will need to be ever-present for the Tahs around the field to counter what is likely to be the lesser mobility in the Waratahs pack.
Wycliff Palu versus Fotu Auelua. Palu has been coming back into form as he makes his long road back from injury, each week he plays more minutes and the quality of his play is improving as well. He isn’t back to his barnstorming best yet and Auelua will be a tough ask. Auelua has been powerful since he joined the playing squad and will be a huge test for Cliffy this week. Two huge men who won’t back down from each other, we’ll find out if Palu is fully fit or not this week.
On the reserves bench Anthony Hegarty will be lucky to get minutes as Moore will play all 80 barring mishap, John Ulugia on the other hand will definitely come on either at hooker or as tighthead prop.
Ruaidhri Murphy has been competent in the minutes he has played this year and is likely to replace Palmer at some point, Jeremy Tilse appeared to relish his rare minutes on the field last week and may be key to lifting the Waratahs mobility as the game progresses.
Peter Kimlin is struggling to match the enthusiasm of some of the younger players who have joined the Brumbies this year but will expect to come on in the second row or blindside at some stage. Dean Mumm will be smarting at having been dropped from the starting side but his later injection to the match should provide him an opportunity to make some wider runs – whether he can recreate something similar to the Sharks match remains to be seen.
Ita Vaea and Lopeti Timani will both be coming in to the game late to try and lift the physicality of their sides and their performances as a couple of powerful young back rowers could sway the match if it is still close. Rocky Elsom will also be coming in to the latter stages of the game as he comes back from long term injury.
Ultimately the line-ups in the starting packs will be a battle between mobility and power, the Tahs will get quicker as the game progresses and the likes of Tilse and Mumm come into the tight five, while the Brumbies will power up later in the game with Vaea.
Given the power on the Tahs bench it strikes me that the second half hour of the game will be critical as the large Waratah forwards tire before all the subs come on. White and Foley will have to manage their benches carefully to gain impacts at the right time.
Bring it on, I hope it is a cracker.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.