Brumbies to draw on history of big-game boilovers for Super Rugby finals

FEW are tipping the Brumbies to beat the Hurricanes, but Sam Carter reveals some key reasons why the Canberra club continues to surprise critics.

Sam Carter says the Brumbies will draw on their history of big-game boilovers.

BRUMBIES skipper Sam Carter says his players will use their history of big-game boilovers to pull off one of the great upsets on Friday in their quarter-final against the Hurricanes, while Christian Lea­liifano is in line to make a return to the squad.

Canberra will host the first quarter-final when the Brumbies play defending cham­pions the Hurricanes and attempt to become the first Australian team this year to defeat a Kiwi rival.

“We haven’t spoken about not beating a Kiwi side this year,” Carter said.

“The last time we did, coincidentally, happened to be against the Hurricanes.

“But that’s not something we will talk about, either.

“It’s a good chance for us. Anytime we get to play finals footy we get pretty excited and it brings out the best in us.

“We’ve seen that before, we’ve had a couple of those moments. We won in Pretoria in 2013, went to Hamilton the next week (and narrowly lost the Super Rugby final to the Chiefs). We’ve had three other finals.

“This is a big game for us.”

Sam Carter says the Brumbies will draw on their history of big-game boilovers.

And it could become a huge occasion if Carter’s co-captain Lealiifano, who was diagnosed with leukaemia last year, makes his first Super Rugby appearance of the year in the playoff.

“He was very close the last couple of weeks, so I am hopeful he will be in the squad,” Carter said.

“We won’t know for another couple of days, but I hope he does get to play because he is an incredible person and a guy I love playing alongside.”

Carter and fellow Wallabies Allan Alaalatoa, Rory ­Arnold and Joe Powell, as well as flanker Chris Alcock, are all expected to return for the Brumbies after being rested from last Saturday’s 28-10 loss to the Chiefs.

Brumbies’ Joe Powell beats the tackle of Hurricanes’ Jordie Barrett earlier this year.

The Brumbies will be long odds to defeat the Canes, particularly as Kiwi teams have won all 25 games against Aussie rivals this season.

Added to that, Wellington knocked off the undefeated Crusaders last weekend, and are expected to welcome back star playmaker Beauden Barrett and All Blacks hooker Dane Coles.

But this is the same Brumbies side that few expected to win the Australian conference after losing David Pocock, Matt Toomua, Joe Tomane and Stephen Moore from last year’s roster, while Lealiifano’s battle and halfback Tomas Cubelli’s serious knee injury have depleted the stocks in the halves.

“There’s a program and a culture down here,” Carter said.

“Traditionally blokes have always come down here searching for an opportunity, blokes being humble in that environment and wanting to prove something.

“When we lost those guys last year, nothing really changed in our mindset.”

Brumbies winger Henry Speight is tackled by Hurricanes star Julian Savea during their clash earlier this season.

The last time an Aussie side beat a Kiwi side was when the Brumbies defeated the Canes in round one last year.

By the time that Friday’s quarter-final comes around, it will have been 511 days since that match.

If the Brumbies do somehow manage to defeat the Hurricanes, their reward will be a long-haul flight to Johannesburg to play the minor premiers, the Lions.

Meanwhile, the Western Force are hopeful they can survive the axe from Super Rugby after billionaire Andrew Forrest pledged to do “whatever it takes” to back them.

WA Rugby is headed to court arbitration with the ARU from July 30 in a bid to prevent the governing body from dissolving the club by claiming the broadcast deal guarantees its survival until 2019.

Regardless of the support Forrest offers, which is yet to be confirmed in a dollar amount, the arbitration process must proceed.

Originally published as Brumbies to draw on history of big-game boilovers for Super Rugby finals