Brumbies dealt blow ahead of crucial Bulls clash with Matt Toomua ruled out

THE Brumbies must overcome the Super Rugby “bye” hoodoo and the loss of a key player against the Bulls to keep its final hopes alive.

Brumbies Matt Toomua scores a try during the NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies Super Rugby game at Allianz Stadium, Sydney. Pic Brett Costello

BRUMBIES skipper Stephen Moore says his team must guard against post-bye sluggishness and be “desperate” against the Bulls tonight in Canberra.

Sitting in sixth and eighth respectively, the Brumbies and Bulls are both fighting to stay alive in the race to the finals and the hosts copped a late blow on Thursday with star centre Matt Toomua ruled out with an ankle syndesmosis injury.

It had been hoped Toomua would get close enough to fitness to be pushed into the all-important game, but coach Stephen Larkham said he was not even assured of being back for next week’s match.

LINEOUT THE KEY FOR DESPERATE BRUMBIES

“We came back from South Africa and the flight probably hurt him a little bit. We are hoping for next week but at this stage he is probably a 50-50 proposition,” Larkham said.

The Brumbies used a bye last weekend to recover from jet lag but Moore said a week off can also potentially carry a sting in the tail — and it is an after-effect they can little afford in a season-defining game.

“Its always tricky I think coming off a bye. You can be either really fresh, or go out there and be a bit rusty early,” Moore said.

“We are probably going to discuss the importance of the start of the game and making sure after a week off we get out there with the intensity we know we need to play with. They’re desperate as well. They need to win to keep themselves in the frame for the finals, and particularly the top of their conference. We are both in very similar positions. We need to be desperate tomorrow to win.”

Captain Stephen Moore and Prop Jean-Pierre Smith during Brumbies Captains run.

The limping Bulls are winless and weakened, having lost Jan Serfontein and veteran lock Victor Matfield this week.

But statistics from this season justifies Moore’s concern of the post-bye effect. Of the 12 teams who’ve already played after their second bye, nine lost the match.

Overall, there have been 13 losses and 11 wins for teams coming off byes this year.

Scott Sio returns to strengthen the Brumbies and Robbie Coleman returns to the no. 12 jersey to cover for Toomua.

Christian Lealiifano has found form and performed strongly at five-eighth in Toomua’s lengthy absence, and Coleman has also stepped up. Moore said it wasn’t a huge distraction and though he agreed, Larkham couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“We know we have good coverage there but it would be nice to have one of the world’s best players on the field. It is still a massive loss,” he said.

Originally published as Brumbies dealt blow ahead of crucial Bulls clash with Matt Toomua ruled out