Coach Stephen Larkham has produced a selection shock by omitting Wallabies hard man Scott Fardy from his Brumbies team for Friday’s Super Rugby clash with the Western Force.
Larkham reportedly says Fardy is not injured and has been left out for “tactical” reasons.
The veteran has not even made the bench and has been replaced in the starting line-up by Ben Hyne who will be playing only his second Super Rugby match.
The Brumbies badly need a win against their Australian conference rivals after going winless in their opening two matches.
Fardy was a standout performer in the season-opening loss to the Crusaders.
In the other change, veteran Wallabies prop Ben Alexander is promoted to start in place of Nic Mayhew.
Brumbies team: Aidan Toua, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Kyle Godwin, James Dargaville, Wharenui Hawera, Joe Powell, Jordan Smiler, Chris Alcock, Ben Hyne, Sam Carter (capt), Rory Arnold, Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Mann-Rea, Ben Alexander. Replacements: Robbie Abel, Nic Mayhew, Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, Blake Enever, Tom Staniforth, Lolo Fakaosilea, De Wet Roos, Andrew Smith.
Maroon Kev
Guest
Is Cheika gonna teach him to lose more games than he wins in a season???!!!! HA!!
puff
Guest
Bakkies, I can offer great names like Ian McGeechan, Jacques Fouroux, Denie Gaven but none are Australian. Mckenzie was only a short timer. Larkham has been with Cheika since the beginning and their record is not impressive. I concede tries have been scored, although comparatively England had a very soft back line and we were nil from 4. As reiterated earlier, I would be overjoyed if Larkham received an honorable mention in the future. But I’m not holding my breath.
Bakkies
Guest
Depends on what you define has distinguished. Clive Woodward played for England the Lions. Ewen McKenzie, Gert Smal, Jamie Joseph and Rassie Erasmus are pretty good coaches. The attack was starting to look a lot more sharper on tour. The Wallabies scored some very good tries. The overall tactics of the head coach and the defence (which has been porous) has an overall affect on what the backs coach is able to implement on the pitch.
mania
Guest
never made sense then either.
Jibba Jabba
Roar Guru
No i dont but geez you so invite it.. :) I will stop myself right there !
Zero Gain
Guest
You always play the man and throw around insults. Who is stupid?
ClarkeG
Guest
It's incurable I'm afraid.
Bob Wire
Guest
Great selection move. Go Force.
Republican
Guest
.....interesting enough Bakkies, I expressed my concerns for the Brumbies months ago, so long before it became click bait here, while everyone decided I was full of the proverbial - but here we are, the Brumbies are indeed the most vulnerable of all Australian Super entities. I am a realist pure and simple, while you prefer denial because you are the sort of person who cannot face reality head on. I sincerely hope I am wrong and you know what, i just might be but this won't go away even if the Brumbies are spared the sword of damocles because it is far more to do with the culture of sport that you support as much as it is about the brand you support. My contribution has little to do with the Brumbies. I have nothing invested in them whatsoever or in what you may think of myself but I do have a lot invested in the communities that support and derive pleasure and belonging from organisations in the guise of sporting clubs, that are exploited and patronised by these sharks. So I do take exception to our communities who invest their heart and soul as I certainly have in the past in their supposed 'clubs', Brumbies or otherwise being exploited by the commercial scourge that in this case is a multinational television empire. I am not unlike sheek philosophically speaking (although he prefers to distance himself from me for fear of being ostracised by his Union family here) where I feel compelled to voice my opinion - holistically, whether that be on a Rugby, Australian Footy or any other forum outside Roar, which I in fact do, in order to challenge the status quo.
Loyal
Guest
You are still sore Bakkies? Ouch...your pain bothers you, huh? Take some medicine...quickly
Republican
Guest
.........no, I dont think fate will be determined by what I say here.......
puff
Guest
Agree, groomed for bigger things are probably correct but talented rugby players, don’t necessary make distinguished coaches. To be honest I’m struggling to think of one. NZ have a few Lochore & Fred Allan perhaps more. To be fair Cheika has few remarkable qualities and not the kind of coach who would make a good mentor. To date, Larkham appears to be in the shadows and you wonder how much input he is responsible for. Since his inclusion the Wallaby backs have been far from imposing or inspired.
Paul
Guest
Larkham wallaby coach?? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Jock Cornet
Guest
Larkham will be the next wallaby coach and is being groomed for after the next World Cup by Cheika. He has done a good job with the cattle he has
Dwards
Roar Rookie
Yep
Bakkies
Guest
Larkham is moving on to the Wallabies so the Brumbies will have a fresh voice next year.
Bakkies
Guest
Fardy is pushing 33 and being shove around by the Wallabies. No guarantee of making 2019. Carter is 27 and already signed for the next two years at least so. You can see the long term picture of him leading a young squad.
Bakkies
Guest
'I think Larkham is a greater authority and knows why more than Fion' He is still not above criticism Jock M, Shut Shield, whatever you like to be called these days.
Bakkies
Guest
He should bugger off to the AFL tab and the Trump forums.
Bakkies
Guest
'Its a shame he doesn’t copy read and former ab richies habit of whining' corrected that for you.