Super Rugby 2015 semi-finals: Hurricanes v Brumbies team news
TWO years on and the Brumbies are still taking lessons from their stunning fade out in the 2013 Super Rugby final.
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TWO years on and the Brumbies are still taking lessons from their stunning fade out in the 2013 Super Rugby final.
The Canberra-based franchise had a 10-point lead and one hand on the trophy when fatigue set in, allowing the Chiefs to come back in the last 15 minutes to win 27-22.
It marked the end of an arduous playoffs campaign for the Brumbies, who had to travel from Canberra to South Africa to New Zealand within a fortnight.
They’re in a similar situation this year, with trips to Cape Town, Canberra and Wellington in the run-up to Saturday’s semi-final against the Hurricanes.
“Travel’s always tough, but I think most of the players get used to it throughout the season,” injured lock Sam Carter told AAP.
“Obviously, we learnt a lot of things from that 2013 season, where we came 15 minutes from winning the title.
“What we’ve done this year is obviously tapered back a bit, focused more on high-intensity sessions and the boys have responded well to that.
“I know they’ve gone over there with full confidence, knowing they can play the game they want to play.
“It’s just going to have to tell on Saturday when they get out there in Wellington.”
Carter knows playing the table-topping Hurricanes will be a challenge.
While the Brumbies have won their past four encounters, the Wellington side have only lost two of 15 games at home and are clear favourites to win the clash at Westpac Stadium.
“It’s going to be very tough for the boys,” said Carter.
“They know what the Hurricanes are capable of — they’ve only lost two games all season.
“They’ve had a week off, they’ve freshened up and they’re going to be quite a challenge this weekend.”
The 25-year-old said he was tracking well after have surgery on a torn knee ligament, suffered last month against the Bulls.
He sights are still firmly on earning a Wallabies’ cap at the World Cup.
“My plans haven’t changed from the start of the year — I want to be in the squad going to England and playing at the World Cup,” he said.
“I’ve obviously had a setback with the injury, but my focus is still the same: get back mid-August and hopefully get on that plane to England.
“It all depends on how it tracks when I get out of the brace and start running — that’s when I really know roughly when I’ll be back.”
Meanwhile, the Brumbies will make their case against winger Henry Speight’s five-week ban early next week.
The hearing — in front of SANZAR’s appeals committee, chaired by Nigel Hampton QC — has been set for 1700 on Tuesday (AEST).
Speight was found guilty by judicial officials of a dangerous lifting tackle on Stormers centre Juan de Jongh during last week’s qualifying final in Cape Town.
His subsequent penalty has rubbed him out of the Brumbies’ semi-final against the Hurricanes on Saturday and the final if they win.
He’ll also miss the Wallabies’ first two Rugby Championship Tests against South Africa and Argentina.
Brumbies chief executive Michael Jones on Thursday labelled the ban a “cruel and unusual punishment” and flagged his intention to contest both the severity of the suspension and some of SANZAR’s rulings against Speight.
What and where: HURRICANES v BRUMBIES at Westpac Stadium, Wellington
When and TV: Saturday, 5:35pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS 2HD
HURRICANES (1-15): Reggie Goodes, Dane Coles, Ben Franks, Jeremy Thrush, James Broadhurst, Brad Shields, Ardie Savea, Victor Vito, TJ Perenara, Beauden Barrett, Julian Savea, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith (c), Nehe Milner-Skudder, James Marshall
Reserves: Brayden Mitchell, Chris Eves, Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, Mark Abbott, Blade Thomson, Chris Smylie, Rey Lee-Lo, Matt Proctor
BRUMBIES (1-15): Scott Sio, Stephen Moore (c), Ben Alexander, Rory Arnold, Blake Enever, Scott Fardy, David Pocock, Ita Vaea, Nic White, Christian Lealiifano, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua, Tevita Kuridrani, Lausii Taliauli, Jesse Mogg
Reserves: Josh Mann-Rea, Allan Alaalatoa, Ruan Smith, Jordan Smiler, Jarrad Butler, Michael Dowsett, Nigel Ah Wong, Robbie Coleman
Head to head: Played 20 Hurricanes 8 Brumbies 12
In Wellington: Played 9 Hurricanes 4 Brumbies 5
Last clash: Round 4 2014 — Brumbies 29 bt Hurricanes 21 at Westpac Stadium
Originally published as Super Rugby 2015 semi-finals: Hurricanes v Brumbies team news
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