The Brumbies were victorious in an all-Australian Super Rugby clash on Saturday night, defeating the Waratahs by 16 points.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Waratahs 12
Brumbies 28
The Waratahs and Brumbies will clash tonight in an emotional first iteration of the Dan Vickerman Cup while the pressure of a possible eviction from the competition hangs overhead. Catch all the thrilling live scores, highlights and action on The Roar from 7:45pm (AEDT).
Following the tragic passing of Vickerman earlier in the year, the two sides have put together the memorial Cup in his honour in what is Australian rugby’s premier rivalry, one that Vickerman took part in countless times.
Both sides have had less than ideal beginnings to their campaign in 2017, sharing just two wins from six games between them in what has been a horror start for the Australian Conference as a whole.
The Tahs are fresh off a winless two-game tour of South Africa, going down to the Sharks and Lions, sitting only ahead of the Rebels from the Australasian group.
The Brumbies also only have one win to their name, but come into this weeks grudge match with a victory over the Force behind them from last week after a painful start to the year.
The main focus during the week in the world of Super Rugby has been an impending reduction of sides in the competition.
At this stage the Brumbies are coming under a mountain of fire with their very existence as a club at stake.
In happier news for the Waratahs, they will incredibly have three players celebrate their 100th Super Rugby cap all in the one game.
Nick Phipps, Sekope Kepu and Michael Hooper all hitting the century tonight. Hooper actually becomes the youngest in Super Rugby history to reach the milestone at just 25 years of age.
Team News
The Waratahs will again be without flyhalf Bernard Foley who remains missing from the opening four rounds with concussion issues suffered during pre-season trials.
However, fellow Wallaby Will Skelton will come back in after missing the tour of South Africa.
Jed Holloway is the final change for coach Daryl Gibson, joining Skelton in the pack at No.8.
For the Brumbies, Stephen Larkham has also made three changes to his side, including the reintroduction of flanker Scott Fardy.
Fardy was controversially rested last week despite no injuries or real lack of form but has now returned to the run on side after just one week.
Lolo Fakaosilea comes into the pack as well in place of Chris Alcock who has been ruled out with a concussion after a head knock against the Force last week.
New Zealand-born winger Nigel Ah Wong comes into the side after a pre-season excursion to play in Japan, returning onto the wing and pushing James Dargaville out of the side.
Prediction
This one can really go anywhere with the current form of anyone in Australia. The Tahs have had some poor performances over the last few weeks while the Brumbies have struggled against tough opposition before overcoming the Force.
The Brumbies might pick up the win here but expect a close contest.
Brumbies to win by 6
Catch all the thrilling live scores, highlights and action on The Roar from 7:45pm (AEDT).
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
Alarming isn't it TonyH? I ask myself 'what are the Kiwi's doing in the off season that we aren't'. From their skills, to their Rugby nous, to their fitness...they're all over us like a rash. Come the internationals, this could get very ugly. Er by that I mean even uglier than usual.
Ian T
Guest
Or just look at the results - 10 games played between Aust teams, and teams from elsewhere. Of these, one has been won by the Asut team. Perhaps reduce Australia to one team - the Wallabies, as with Argentina.
TonyH
Roar Rookie
Watching back-to-back games between the Hurricanes and Highlanders and the Waratahs and Brumbies perfectly illustrated the gulf that has developed between New Zealand and Australian rugby, even allowing for underfoot conditions. It's more like a chasm actually. To use a basketball analogy, the skill sets of Kiwi players is akin to those of the Harlem Globe Trotters compared to the bottom team on the domestic NBL ladder.
ThugbyFan
Guest
Fionn, always look on the bright side. A merger between the Tahs and Brumbies will make NSW Great Again. How we just need to employ Donald Trump as the coach. :)
MH01
Guest
Cut the Tahs!!
Bfc
Guest
Just a thought...maybe Mick Byrne is not the panacea (for our skills shortages...) that many had hoped for..? He may well be very good, but perhaps his 'success' with the ABs had a mitigating factor...that NZ rugby players already had a very high skills' baseline, and he merely had to refine those skills...and our players as a whole have poorer basics?
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
The best rugby coach I ever had was a Kiwi. Foreign coaches can be successful in any other country and even in Australia with every other sport. The issue is that Gibson isn't a good one. I think people forget that Deans was good for most of the first four years. He stayed two years too long (should have gone after the 2011 WC) but he did a really good job unearthing talent and developing core skills. He unfortunately was just too conservative in his game plan, which was odd given that the year in which the team showed so much promise (2010) featured a Wallabies team playing super attacking rugby.
Ian T
Guest
Enjoying the Chapple Hadlee matches are we?
Rob na Champassak
Roar Guru
Not the best first half, but much better in the second stanza. Amazing to win in Sydney any year, but this one was particularly special. Really proud of these players and this club.
Fin
Guest
Kiwis coaching Aussie teams just doesn't work. I think it is because they are born with a basic understanding of the game and therefore can't coach it. Unfortunately us Aussies are not born so blessed. It would probably be the same if we tried to coach them at cricket.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Indeed. Can you imagine the Pommies' faces if (no, when) Ireland stop them from beating England's winning streak?! :D
Scott
Guest
Thanks for the call Connor. Always appreciate the bloggers here. Looking forward to your Team of the Week.
Ray
Guest
Expectations were high having watched the Hurricanes Highlander’s game. How wrong did that turn out to be. The Tahs on that performance displayed the cohesion and momentum of a park team who had met and started playing together 2 weeks ago. How often do we hear the crucial issue of a team lacking in fundamentals as was again expressed by Kearnsy this evening, Whilst the Tahs continue their inept performance at lineouts, passing, holding onto the ball, general defence and the crucial element of the breakdown they will go nowhere. As a convert from League years ago, I sincerely hope this is not the case.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Now that we're clearly topping the Australian conference it will be even funnier (more tragic?) when the ARU announces next week that they're cutting us.
Machooka
Roar Guru
Good point Fionn
Machooka
Roar Guru
Oh forgot... c'mon Ireland!!!!!
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
At the very least he managed to sign Dean Mumm again at the end of last year when, from memory, his contract ended. Thus, his coaching hasn't been an entire waste.
riddler
Guest
sorry chook.. not the best of nights for your lads.. look forward to bernard coming back.. but not sure how much he can effect the changes needed.. but here is hoping!! hope u r staying awake for the pommies and the irish later.. will be a good one..
Hansie
Guest
Hmmm, it might be time for the Waratahs to merge with the Rebels, though Hooper reckons they're training well, which is the main thing in sport (much more important than the result).
Reverse Wheel
Guest
Gibson has taken a mere year and 4 games to turn a top team into a rabble. Time to go.