Brumbies
38
Match Complete
Sharks
13
C. Lealiifano | 80 | |||
M. Lucas | 78 | |||
C. Lealiifano | 73 | |||
J. Powell | 71 | |||
57 | C. Bosch | |||
56 | A. Esterhuizen | |||
C. Lealiifano | 25 | |||
P. Samu | 23 | |||
C. Lealiifano | 20 | |||
15 | C. Bosch | |||
C. Lealiifano | 11 | |||
H. Speight | 9 | |||
8 | C. Bosch | |||
C. Lealiifano | 2 | |||
P. Samu | 0 |
5 | Tries | 1 | ||
5 | Conversions | 1 | ||
1 | Penalty Goals | 2 | ||
0 | Field Goals | 0 |
Quarter-final rugby comes to Canberra as the Brumbies host the Sharks. Join The Roar from 8:05pm AEST for this knockout clash.
And then there was eight. Just eight teams left in the competition vying for the title.
Australia’s best team in the competition and its only representative left, the Brumbies, up against the second-best side from South Africa, the Sharks.
After finishing third overall and being on home turf, the Brumbies will be feeling confident. They have been in good form and have won their past six games in row.
The club has won eight of its past nine fixtures, but has never won seven on the bounce. Winning breeds confidence.
The men from ACT have a strong forward pack, some bruising outside backs and a good spine in key positions. Henry Speight, Tom Cusack, Tonu Pulu and Pete Samu were rested last weekend and come back into the squad refreshed.
The Brumbies and the Sharks did not play each during the regular season, but the Brumbies did win all three of its games against South African opposition. That could be telling.
The Sharks had a mixed record against Aussie sides this year and only scraped into the semi-finals.
The Durban outfit has Curwin Bosch returning at fullback as their only change.
A lot will rest on Bosch, playmaker Robert du Preez and skipper Louis Schreuder.
In the past the Sharks have lost all five of their last playoff matches away from home.
Prediction
All signs point to a Brumbies win. If they can keep the discipline, and remain focused, they should be too strong for the Sharks.
Brumbies to win by nine.
When: 8:05pm AEST
Where: Canberra Stadium, ACT
TV: Fox Sports
Betting: Brumbies $1.40, Draw $23, Sharks $2.05
Brumbies
Tom Banks, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Irae Simone, Toni Pulu, Christian Lealiifano (c), Joe Powell, Pete Samu, Tom Cusack, Rob Valetini, Sam Carter, Rory Arnold, Scott Sio, Folau Faingaa, Allan Alaalatoa
Reserves: Connal McInnerney, James Slipper, Les Makin, Darcy Swain, Lachy McCaffrey, Jahrome Brown, Matt Lucas, Tom Wright
Sharks
Curwin Bosch, Sbu Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi, Robert du Preez, Louis Schreuder (c), Daniel du Preez, Tyler Paul, Jacques Vermuelen, Hyron Andrews, Ruben van Heerden, Coenie Oosthuizen, Kerron van Vuuren, Mzamo Majola
Reserves: Cullen Collopy, Juan Schoeman, Thomas du Toit, Gideon Koegelenberg, Luke Stringer, Cameron Wright, Jeremy Ward, Rhyno Smith
taylorman
Roar Guru
Latest on this:: https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/113730226/battling-blues-get-serious-about-tackling-the-huge-issue-of-retaining-schoolboy-stars
taylorman
Roar Guru
The other thing about Folau that’s annoying is looking at his timeline he doesn’t seem to have held down a paying non sporting job in his entire life. Now he’s asking the working community, who don’t get to play their fave sport, train all week, own 6+ properties, drive Lamborghini’s, but work a good 9-5 to earn every dollar, to pay for his right to ten million buks. He’s even put a clause in that he can do anything he wants with it. At least Sarah has a day job.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yep me too, and with oz and SA both playing here we should be ok. There looks to be an extra round of sa vs Arg and us vs oz this time, one more match each than in the 15 shortened version.
Kia Kaha
Roar Guru
Hi ya Tman! Yes, funny how that’s worked out with injuries. Seems like certain matches have been targeted with the likes of the Sanders front row and Dane Coles back and there wasn’t much urgency with the round-robin matches. In a RWC year, you want to limit the number of matches but you want to play the right matches as well in terms of intensity. Don’t know the RC schedule but I imagine the home game matches will be targeted and the experimentation comes in the away matches.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes Kia...hi ya by the way... thing thats stood out is the high availability rate at semi time. Everyone, bar probably DMac and maybe one or two others, is ready and available. Would you put that down to management...i.e. the two match layoff, the fact that injuries were some time ago, and theyre now just coming back ( with that it also seems none really occurring last 3-4 weeks- the tough end of qualifying), or luck...or a bit of it all? Saders for example...full strength. Canes and chiefs as well. Dont think Ive seen it that good at this time before.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Must be a while since hes been home. (Doesnt even know his own counytry :-). ) but I digress....
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yes thats why we arent so concerned with the u20 results. Once theyre done there they then go into what really builds the player in the club, then mitre 10, S Rugby setups, where grassroots rugby really is a path to success for anyone with potential or talent. Other nations have caught up in the u20 group but they arent necessarily great at going on from there. We might find the actual u20 players werent the right ones after all, but stood out at the time, late developers thriving in the competitive senior environments. Maori and Pacific Islanders tend to develop earlier so dominate the u20 side, but may not go on to higher things where much more discipline is required.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Noted BB...Somehow we got away without a mention on Rhinos commentary-whew- which I found a good read.
PeterK
Roar Guru
can't agree there Kerevi has to be the form 12 , probably form aust player Rodda has been significantly better than Carter
PeterK
Roar Guru
it seemed to me Genia became contact shy like Gregan did in his latter years preserving his body. Genia avoided tackling and didn't run the ball as often. I would start White in the tests to see if he is really a better option with Powell on the bench given plenty of game time. If Powell does better than White then reverse them.
Bourkos
Roar Rookie
He could have lost that try cos he was so slow. Nearly wondered if he knew the opposition were so close.
Bourkos
Roar Rookie
Was thinking the same thing. I think he will do well once he has come back from a break. Quade too (but that ship has sailed i'm afraid)
Lano
Roar Guru
You're wasting your time Rhino! He ain't listening. Jeez, I support EVERYONE against the Tahs. And that isn't anti-Aussie or pro anything else.
rebel
Roar Guru
Wouldn't lose anything with McCaffrey, however Naisarani is the only player to hold his head high for the Rebels in their dismal performances of late. He's the metre eater.
soapit
Roar Guru
Yep playing like a team (with minimal X factor) executing well and playing good, thinking rugby
taylorman
Roar Guru
Professionalism killed the Blues as they were. We had players so deep in positions they had nowhere else to go in the amateur era. Players left for both rugby and League in droves and still do. If we could call on every single professional in rugby now playing the world over that became professionals through the Auckland school and club level Super rugby would look very different. Many are currently with the Reds, Tahs, and NRL and ten times as many in the northern scene, more than any other city. Scouts appear regularly at Auckland and NZ school matches, and Auckland currently have two of the top three rated schools in NZ. But aside from that, the rot has set in, rugby as a sport appears to be declining in Auckland, crowds are no longer attending as they used to. It also hasnt been helped by not being able to recruit a single coach of any reasonable success at either Super or national level since Henry left. Theyve all been a bunch of ex player wanna be coaches, mostly backs, who as we know, dont make the best coaches. Weve also been unable to recruit or develop a 10 of AB standard for fifteen years. Not good enough in this competition.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
I wonder if Genia might be a bit injured, or just overplayed, as he was so good in the first half of the season? Thanks mate. It has been a long time coming as a Brumbies fan..
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Hmm, you’re potentially right that DHP should get the first crack at fullback, while Banks is eased in off the win (although I would still start Banks at 15), but I personally can not agree with Kurtley. I think he’d be lucky to make my preferred bench.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Thanks mate. Tough one next week, and if we lose to a good Jags side, such is life. I probably agree with all those, although I think it’s a close thing between McCaffrey and Naisarani, and one’s preference may come down the style of the no. 8 that they prefer.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Ok, you Kiwis out there, you've been warned