The first preliminary final of the 2014 Super Rugby season sees the Brumbies take on the Chiefs at GIO Stadium in Canberra. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:40pm AEST.
An exciting clash awaits, as both of these competition heavyweights have found good form heading into the playoffs.
The Brumbies bounced back after the pummelling they received from the Waratahs to comprehensively beat the Force, led by a sublime performance from Wallaby Matt Toomua at first five.
The Chiefs have played out a roller-coaster season but when push came to shove the defending champions showed their class and won their last two matches to force their way into playoff contention.
With some exciting talent in both backlines, such as Henry Speight and Tim-Nanai Williams, fans will be hoping for a fast, open match, but the team with the better defence will likely win.
Interestingly, both teams have conceded exactly 378 points this season, with the Brumbies 28 points ahead in differential.
Goalkicking will be vital, and considering these two teams are the worst goal-kicking teams in the competition – the Brumbies managing to land 63 per cent of their shots at goal and the Chiefs 68 per cent – both teams will be hoping their sharpshooters can switch their radars on.
The Brumbies will be primed and ready to take full advantage of their home advantage and a big crowd is expected, with the expectation of a reversal of the result of last season’s grand final.
But the Chiefs are not defending two-time champions for nothing, with plenty of experience and talent to call upon.
Join us here on The Roar as we cover all the action from Canberra and don’t forget to have your say below!
Tip: Brumbies by 6.
Chris
Guest
One can only dream of what might have happened if the Brumbies showed up in both halves...
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
What rock have you been under? He's signed his contracts and everything,
Common Sense
Roar Rookie
One can only dream of what might have happened if the Chiefs had showed up to both halves...
soapit
Guest
if the tinfoil hat fits perhaps?
Jono
Guest
Given that very few people commit a professional foul as the first infringement I'm sure you're right.
JB
Guest
Penalty count 9all yellow cards 1 a piece. You can call Joubert a bad ref but I don't think he was bias tonight mind you I was cheering for the brumbies
WEST
Roar Guru
Super Rugby has been won by the team finishing in first place on 12 occasions, a statistic that favours the Waratahs. Some interesting facts; the first being that no team has won the title after finishing outside the top two after the league. Now in the 2004-2011 format that would surely have changed at some point, but since the added Wildcard round, questions surface over its credibility. Sharks boss Jake White rounded on this in his column for The Citizen, asking: "Why play these matches at all if they have little or no chance of making it through to the final?" which is a fair point. Really, and no disrespect to them, but with the tough travel factor is anyone backing the Highlanders to win (again) in Durban, catch a long back to Sydney to beat the 'Tahs and then fully recover to also triumph in an away final? Therein lies the question of can any team finishing outside the top two, in a day and age where home advantage is so vital, actually win the trophy? Again the numbers highlight the difficulties facing the likes of the Chiefs and Highlanders, given that in 36 play-off matches in the last decade only five have been won by the away side. That's an 86 percent success rate for the hosts, while 8 out of 10 sides who finished as league winners went on to win the title, with only the Bulls winning a final on the road, albeit not far from home, at the Sharks. White added: "If this (Saturday's games between third to sixth in the standings) is purely a money-making device, surely it would be preferable for the teams that finish one and two to go straight to a final. They could play home and away so they would both have to travel." But as the former Springbok coach touched upon, this extra round is of course a money spinner for the competition. Yet with the glass half full, why shouldn't those franchises who finished in fifth and sixth place have a crack at what on paper is looking like the impossible. Naturally the Chiefs, Highlanders and also the Sharks and Brumbies will travel into this weekend full of optimism, but history and statistics are very much against them.
Speckem
Guest
Shutup Johnno
Harry Jones
Guest
In KO playoff finals rugby...kickers are key.
Minz
Guest
I can't imagine Joubert would be happy seeing as he seemed to be spending the entire second half trying to get the Chiefs back into it.
WEST
Roar Guru
Relax Tah fan not to much to worry about. Most teams that take out the top of the table go on to win. 8 out of 10 sides who finished as table winners went on to win the title, given that in 36 play-off matches in the last decade only five have been won by the away side. That's an 86 percent success rate, with only the Bulls winning a final on the road, not far from home, at the Sharks. No team has won the title after finishing outside the top two after the league. Highlanders have a near impossible task, with tough travel factor is anyone backing the Highlanders to win (again) in Durban, catch a long back to Sydney to beat the 'Tahs and then fully recover to also triumph in an away final?
Winston
Guest
he looks the goods.
Ben Gibbon
Roar Guru
What a game, both teams could have gone through but Brumbies prevailed and deservedly so. Home town advantage definitely played a part in this one
Charlie Mackay
Guest
Typical Canberra crowd tbh.. I was there and it was cold yes, but not as bad as it had been... In fact. twas a very clear might with only a small wind. Some reasons (excuses?) include it still being school holidays in CBR, so anyone with sense or who still has a PS job is out of CBR whilst they can be, the very chilly weather and the remnants of the so called "Jakeball" days where an ugly win was the aim of the day... It also doesn't help that the facilities at Bruce Stadium (not calling it by its new name... It'll always be Bruce Stadium!) are absolutely appalling... Food is crap and ridiculously expensive, service is appalling and the parking is diabolical. It's one of the only places that I can think of where people who arrive early are forced to park furthest away by the parking team...
WQ
Guest
Are you looking for me eagleJack?
WQ
Guest
I did notice the Yellow Card each, did you notice that the square up was 10 mins into the second half and not as a result of the first penalty of the game?????
WQ
Guest
Sorry Sportym, should have mentioned the relevance to Super Rugby! This also happened in a 3rd grade game in Upper Jucumber West as well however I just assumed most people would accept I was talking about Super Rugby!
WEST
Roar Guru
James Lowe was the only one who made some decent territory 88 meters. Lowe missed 4 tackles, not as bad as Cruden's 5 missed tackles but.... Anyway yep, agree Lowe should have backed himself, young buck he only has 10 SR caps so could have a great future.
Winston
Guest
True that
Digby
Roar Guru
Nice!