This Friday night game sees the Brumbies travelling to Napier to play the Hurricanes. Join The Roar from 5:35pm (AEST) for all the live action as we cover this Round 9 match from New Zealand.
Both sides bring contrasting form from the previous week into this encounter, the Hurricanes sneaking past the Blues at Eden Park in a thrilling encounter while the Brumbies were shocked away in Melbourne, losing narrowly to a desperate Rebels side.
An Australian side has yet to register a victory over their New Zealand counterparts in 2017 and the Brumbies are next in line to have a crack at a Kiwi opponent and maintain their lead at the top of the Australian conference while the Hurricanes will not want to drop a home match here while trying to keep pace with the high-flying Crusaders within their own group.
The odds certainly indicate the Brumbies are up against it tonight but it should be remembered that this side has traditionally had a very good record against the Wellington-based franchise and they will not be intimidated by the challenge of this in-form Hurricanes line up.
One area the Brumbies will look to target will be the lineout, an area that the Hurricanes have been less than accurate this season and with international experience to call upon, the Brumbies can certainly find an advantage there.
It will count for nought if the Brumbies cannot make their first-up tackles, the Hurricanes showing that with momentum, they are very difficult to stop and the Brumbies defence will hold the key to their chances in this match.
Some match ups to keep an eye on this evening include the scrum, where the Hurricanes Jeff Toomaga-Allen squares up to the Brumbies Scott Sio which will be a hard fought clash while Brad Shields and Scott Fardy go head to head at blindside while the battle of the up and coming halfbacks, Joe Powell for the Brumbies and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi for the Hurricanes will be one to keep an eye on.
Prediction
The Canes are playing with too much cohesion and confidence and I expect to see them pull away from the Brumbies in the last quarter of the match.
Hurricanes by 16.
Join The Roar from 5:35pm (AEST) for all the live action as we cover this Round 9 match from New Zealand.
Del
Guest
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Old Bugger
Guest
cs And, I'm not a Canes supporter either but like I said, no complaints aye....?? Perhaps, the Canes were saved, by the HT bell.....who knows??
Kelefua
Guest
Brumbies momentum was no doubt squashed with the yellow card. But Canes are on fire & l agree with Digger the Canes would've pulled away in the last quarter in any case given their recent history. Is Aso knocking on ABs door? Maybe most of the backline for that matter.. geez wish my Blues wore yellow lol;)
Taniwha
Roar Rookie
Jeffrey, couldn't agree more. Last week against the blues his passing was terrible. Smith will start the first test against the Lions, TJ off the bench.
concerned supporter
Guest
OB, I am not a Brumbies supporter, but Aso's tries Nos 2 &3 turned the game for the Hurricanes.Scores went from 21 - 21, to 35-21. Thereafter with huge possession margin (75-80%), I think, Hurricanes with momentum were going to always win. Rugby Assistant Referees should be more proactive on matters, especially offside.
Old Bugger
Guest
Hi cs Yeah, probably right but, would it have made any difference, to the score, if you can ping those two tries?? Remember, the Brums had scored three tries in between, your supposed offside and forward pass, queries. Oh and btw, go back and have a look at the Brumbies length of the field try - I thought the third to last or second to last pass, looked a bit dodgy but hey, I won't complain because I saw something, that everyone else saw and thought, wouldn't happen. A length of the field Brumbies try and what a beauty, it was. The biggest concern, is how a side which had the best defensive record in the comp before this match, could not only leak 8 tries but, leak 42 unanswered points, in the process - notwithstanding that the points leak, all happened in the 2nd half?? She'll be right mate.....unless yours and my queries, could actually pose a threat, on the final score then, who really cares about 3 dodgy tries, from 11 tries scored.
concerned supporter
Guest
Hello OB, Possession sure, and momentum. Don't you think that tries Nos 2& 3 by Aso featured offside play and a forward pass? Where were your famous Assistant Referees (Linesmen)? Later in the game, they interrupted when B Barrett kicked crossfield to Hurricanes No 12.Pretty token gesture as blind freddy could see that he was onside, and the game was already won. Why did they not interrupt on Aso's earlier tries?
Bfc
Guest
Indeed...how the heck doe Cheika get to 'anoint' his successor...does he run the ARU? Larkham was a great player...but is a rubbish coach.
Jeffrey
Guest
TJ needs to improve his passing though. It's awful atm.
Kuruki
Roar Guru
TJ and Barrett to start against the Lions without question.
StevieB
Guest
Bro normally Aso is on the right wing, just cause Proctor is injured, its not first choice, also Aso got 3 tries, not toooo bad, couple of defensive mistakes but all in all......
StevieB
Guest
Only over the summer season, let's not exaggerate
StevieB
Guest
Its his speed from 0-40 metres that's the difference, he reaches top speed early, doesn't matter though cause once he puts 5 metres on you, you ain't catching, ankle tap attempt at best ala last week against your team TM kicked ahead regathered but still Blues player got close but never enough to stop the inevitable His cross field kicking is next level
StevieB
Guest
Was saying to my Vietnamese girlfriend before the game that will be interesting to see when Boyd slaps his knees and says "alright get TJ on", she just nodded in 10% understanding, 45 minutes was about it, the starter wasn't bad but the calm TJ gives this hurricane team now!! Makes me think more and more that TJ should start then unleash Aaron with 25-30 to go against the Lions
Machooka
Roar Guru
Correct!
Nobrain
Roar Guru
The difference was TJ coming from the bench.
Quicksilver
Guest
42-0 in the second half. Enough said.
Old Bugger
Guest
RT That's the thing tho' mate - this Brums team had the best defence stats, going into this game.....unfortunately for them, it got unlocked, tonight. But, that's what can happen when one side starts to dominate possession and let's the movement of the ball create chaos, for their opposition's defence plans. Oh and it does help, when one team lifts their pace and intensity calling on their opposition, to go with them......if they can??
Digby
Roar Guru
Thanks OB. Yes, good to bank the points before the bye next week. I reckon Plum gave them a fair serve at halftime.......
Jokerman
Roar Guru
Good point Ray. If only they had stoped the game at halftime they would have won. Very difficult to do though. It would have to be a massive earthquake or something. I shouldn't say that...the last thing I need to do is put more fear into the Australian teams! You will be okay!! Okay? All good now. :))