Brumbies to battle 'unstoppable' Tahs

Agreed, James, though it is more likely 'will' rather than aggression, they impose their will and have the record to back it up, i.e. bonus points. If Bernie could have learned anything it is there is no safe margin against any Kiwi team, not then, now or ever. Hope the message gets through to the players. That message has been received by the 'Tahs, they understand as a unit that leaving anything on the pitch will probably be diluted by tears.

Beale and Folau on song is a scary prospect. I expect the Brumbies will look to do as they did in the Canberra match earlier this year - Intimidate Beale and keep him quiet for the night. As good as his talents are, it's not a secret that he shies off confrontation and doesn't like being bashed. I'm very confident that the Brumbies would do very well to start Mccabe at 12 this game, given CL's goalkicking woes, and try to smash Foley/Beale out of the game.

It was the usual cut down the errors and play safety first once in front. The Tahs defence is 50 times more aggressive than the Chiefs'. OK, maybe not 50, but you get my drift.

Come on. Alofa > Coleman. This is just names on paper. Look how they gel and work off the front foot platform their forwards give them. That's the point of how they play. It's intent, attitude and coaching. And Brumbies have no answer to the Beale Folau combo. A lot will come down to how strict the ref is on Mowen and Fardy at the breakdown. They come in on the side and rest on their arms before going for the ball, esp Mowen.

Last Saturday the Brumbies got down to business and played Rugby, ball in hand, building phases, probing, testing and it paid off. However they went off the boil with a the lead and the Chiefs also got down to what they do best, almost pulled it off too. The Brumbies were lucky, despite Christian's kicking woes. Was it fitness or was it mental weakness that nearly cost them the game? The 'Tahs are a different kettle of fish. Since about round 8 they have discovered some serious mojo, prodigious self-belief based on established combinations and a genuine team spirit. They are entertaining because they have that collective mindset and it will take some seriously good Rugby to defeat them. The next two weeks should see some bloody good Rugby. In Natal, the Sharks were as usual, ponderous, set-piece reliant and no longer the threat they have been now the pace and stakes have been raised. The danger of a Grand Final in the RSA has lessened. It wouldn't surprise me if some front the judiciary this week, Jourdaan on Sopoaga (24m) was disturbing to watch, Bismarck on Malakai (27m) equally so. Why Jaco did not recommend a card for the first was beyond me, I thought a red would have been appropriate. Kiwis play a hard but clean game, so they could not have caused any retaliation and the action was an attack on the cruciates. This sort of clinical dismemberment does not belong on a Rugby pitch. The Highlanders showed great spirit in the face of these bully-boy tactics and will remember the spirit of this game. So will the rest of us. C'mon the 'Saders.

I agree with your last line 100% ! Brumbies are a great team too and here's to a injury free game to both teams. Really hoping its our year to take it all the way.... go Tahs!

Alofa will be the other wing not crawford. Alofa is at LEAST equal to Coleman. Bench will probably have Crawford.

I honestly think the Brumbies backline is as good or better than the Tahs: White Phipps Slight win White. As long as he passes first Toomua Foley Pretty much a tie. Toomua better defence, Foley slightly better offense Coleman Crawford Colemann, 7 tries. Crawford 0 Leah Beale Beale on points Kuri AAC Tossup Speight Horne lolz Mogg Folou lolz Rathbone, McCabe, Tomane McCutcheon, Mckibbin, Naiyaravoro The on field is even, but the Brumbs benchs kills it. As long as they can prevent Folou running at Mogg or Coleman. I think the Tah's pack is better around the park, but the set pieces will go to the Brumbs. The only question is whether they can get penalties from it/ steal possession. You don't want Beale/Folou running at the line from lineouts. Big Willy, Pots, Kepu are important, but honestly, I think Palu might be the most important player for the tahs. If he can crash bash enough front foot ball, the Brumbs are shot. Brumbs will also be shot if the refs go hard at the breakdown. The brumbs superior backline bench is overshadowed by their woeful pack bench. In terms of which team can beat the Saders or the Sharks next week... I don't think the Brumbs can beat Saders in NZ, but I think they would beat the Sharks. Tahs can beat both, but they wouldn't want the sharks. Set piece battle would be a farce. Who would be the starting tahs wingers? Alofa or Cam?

20 plus tahs - 20 plus crusaders. Bring it on.

also with beale defending on the wing he is being targeted at scrum time by the clever sides that know he defends there. I hope Cheika is awake to that and has Horne defend on the wing from set piece scrum.

According to Fox Sports site, Horne has only missed 3 tackles all season. And he's made a truckload. His missed tackle % is just under 4%. So he is who I would want marking Speight. In his desperation to tackle, Horne has been pinged for some head-high shots this season though.

It's an interesting stat that 12 of the first 15 super rugby finals were played between the two top ranked teams, including every final from 2003-2010. Then, since the expansion to 15 teams and the introduction of the supposedly advantageous week off, there has not been a final between the top two teams. In fact in each of the last three seasons a top two team has lost a semi against a lower ranked opponent who has had to cross the Indian Ocean. So if recent history is anything to go by we shouldn't be surprised if there is an upset next weekend

ahem... that never happened... i will ask that you never bring that up again! :)

I believe the Brumbies and Tahs had played one semi in Sydney before, i think 2002. And if my memory is still any good, i think it was a big hiding for the Tahs. For some reasons, they are always very positive; they tend to win long before a ball is kicked; in fact, even before the competition starts!

thats true, Horne could tackle Speight BUT he moves in to cover Beale so it would be Beale or Alofa trying to tackle Speight , since both are poor tacklers it would be a field day for Speight. The better bet is that Beale stays at 12 with AAC to help him and keep Horne on Speight.

So.. Who is playing against Speight??? Do you move AAC to the wing to counter him? AAC is the only person I'd back to tackle him. But then, who would take Kuri? If NSW keep with their tactic of hiding Beale on the wing, against Speight, it could be quite funny. I wonder if a boot imprint will make Beale's face any worse.

Could Tahs organisers show the first semi on allianz big screens? Pleaaaaaase!

Reminds me of the line from 300, "Immortals?? We'll put their name to the test..." Lets go Brums!!!!

Brumbies played far more Tahs style to KO the Chiefs than the Sharks jakeball style. IMO for Brumbies to win they need to keep playing how they have for the last few weeks, which is using their backline and running the ball more and scoring tires and not kicking and waiting for mistakes to kick penalty goals.

Wouldn't be surprised at all to see an upset or two. Brumbies have a good KO style, but CL should not kick.