Super Rugby: Brumbies say Waratahs won’t stop their rolling maul close to the line

THE Brumbies have thrown down a challenge to the Waratahs pack ahead of their showdown on Friday by describing the ACT rolling maul as “unstoppable” from close to the line.

Super Rugby Rd 11 - Brumbies v Highlanders

THE Brumbies have thrown down a challenge to the Waratahs pack ahead of their showdown on Friday by describing the ACT rolling maul as “unstoppable” from close to the line.

The Brumbies used attacking line outs on the Highlanders’ tryline to great effect in a confidence-boosting win over the Kiwi side last Friday, with David Pocock bagging three tries in the first half from the tail of well-executed rolling mauls.

The Highlanders had no answer and flanker Scott Fardy said yesterday the Brumbies rolling maul was all-but irresistible when set up effectively, and when the referee strictly policed the offside line.

“We thought it was bring officiated properly, and when it gets officiated properly I think we are unstoppable,” Fardy said.

“When we are setup really well and no-one is coming in from the side, I reckon it’s just about unstoppable.”

The Brumbies were aggrieved with some of the rulings around their rolling maul in recent losses to the Blues and the Rebels; one offside from Scott Higginbotham in particular.

Coach Stephen Larkham admitted last week he’d sought official explanations from SANZAR.

“We didn’t get the pay out of the rolling maul we would have liked. Some of the referring decisions have been poor,” Larkham said on match-eve. “The outcome was the referees had made mistakes.”

Larkham tried smoke-and-mirrors by then suggesting they’d abandoned the tactic of the rolling maul but instead they went for it hard the following night, and it paid off.

“We felt we had been let down a couple of times in that area, but it came together well (on Friday),” Fardy said.”

Fardy said they would continue to use the tactic against the Waratahs but would be mindful of “always wanting to have balance”.

“You can’t go to the same thing over and over,” Fardy said.

They may also encounter unfavourable officiating, too. As was pointed out in the TV call, each of Pocock’s tries came with players joining the maul in front of the flanker, and after he’d detached an arm and reattached it. Both are outside the IRB laws.

But whatever tactics are employed, the NSW and Brumbies forward packs will undoubtedly — and as per usual — get mightily physical.

Fardy believes the clash with the Australian rivals will come down to hunger and urgency, and though it wasn’t always pretty, he saw plenty of that in the Waratahs’ win over the Rebels.

“We struggled against the Rebels, they’re a bloody good side,” Fardy said.

“They probably don’t get the recognition they deserve, so I think NSW’s effort to beat them can’t be underestimated.

“The Tahs are a good side, and as with all really good sides, you know what you’re going to get from them. Stopping them is another story though.”

The Brumbies are confident Tevita Kuridrani will play against the Tahs despite the Test centre came off before the end of the Highlanders clash with a sore shoulder. Kuridrani was playing his first game back, and while uncomfortable, the injury has not worsened.

Nic White is hopeful of returning from an ankle injury but has yet to resume running.

Ben Alexander is set to return to the starting side but Pat Sio and Matt Toomua are chance of returning.

Originally published as Super Rugby: Brumbies say Waratahs won’t stop their rolling maul close to the line