Super Rugby mid-season report: Brumbies on track to take out Aussie conference crown

JAKE White may be long gone but it’s the same old story for an in-form Brumbies at the halfway mark of Super Rugby. Read our mid-season report!

Nic White of the Brumbies during the Super Rugby match between the Queensland Reds and th

THE first half of the 2014 Super Rugby season is in the books, and with just nine points separating first from eighth the competition is set for a thrilling run home to the playoffs.

Here’s what we’ve made of the Brumbies’ season so far …

Where they sit: First. This is a familiar position for the Brumbies, they’ve led the Australian conference at the halfway mark three years running. A rusty first-up showing against the Reds was quickly forgotten as last year’s finalists bounced back with four straight victories, and then another two from three to establish themselves as the team to beat in Australia. The new coaching team of Stephen Larkham and Laurie Fisher have assumed the reins superbly, and have the side right on course for another conference crown. A bye in round 10 gives the Brumbies the ideal opportunity to freshen up for the run home.

Star player: Pat McCabe. You could have forgiven Pat McCabe for calling time on his rugby career after two neck injuries and a ring of other ailments. But in a testament to his character, the Brumbies inside centre is playing better than ever. Stepping in at No.12 in the absence of Christian Leali’ifano, McCabe has added more variety to a once crash-ball reliant game to accumulate an impressive two tries, six linebreaks, 17 tackle busts and 58 runs for 479m. Man-of-the-match displays against both the Hurricanes and Blues were pivotal, and more than enough for Fisher and Larkham to persist with him ahead of Leali’ifano. The Brumbies have one almighty selection headache, albeit a good one, on their hands.

Sore point: David Pocock must’ve done something truly horrible in another life – how else can you explain such rotten luck with injury? One of the genuine nice guys of the game, Pocock was cut down by a knee injury for the second straight year in round three when a seemingly innocuous incident resulted in another season on the sidelines. In true Pocock fashion the former Wallabies No.7 has already launched into the rehab and is firmly focused on a return to the top. We wish him luck.

Where to now? The Brumbies’ bye could not be better timed as the five-week stretch that awaits them from round 11 looks a little daunting. Home games against fellow conference leaders the Chiefs and Sharks, broken by a trip to face the Crusaders in Christchurch, will provide a stern test of their title credentials as will a South African tour that sees them face the Cheetahs and Bulls. The Brumbies success has again been built on defence with last year’s runners-up conceding the third least points (20.1) and equal second least tries (1.9) per game in the competition. A lot may change over the coming weeks but if the Aussie conference stays as it stands, closing encounters against the Waratahs and Force will make for thrilling viewing.

Run home: Bye, Chiefs (H), Crusaders (A), Sharks (H), Cheetahs (A), Bulls (A), Rebels (H), Waratahs (A), Force (H).