Super Rugby finals: Brumbies captain Stephen Moore says experience can give team the edge against Hurricanes

BRUMBIES skipper Stephen Moore says his team’s growing finals experience — particularly on the road — can help them defy the odds again and topple the minor premier Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 20: Stephen Moore (Captain) of the Brumbies during the Super Rugby Qualifying Final match between DHL Stormers and Brumbies at DHL Newlands Stadium on June 20, 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

BRUMBIES skipper Stephen Moore says his team’s growing finals experience — particularly on the road — can help them defy the odds again and topple the minor premier Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.

The Brumbies arrived back in Canberra on Monday night after the long-haul return journey from South Africa but immediately returned to the training track yesterday in an attempt to shake off the jet-lag, and the historical millstone such a trip brings in the Super Rugby finals.

The Brumbies became the 13th away team in history to win a playoff game but to progress further they must now become only the third team to win successive finals on the road and beat the Canes.

Only the Crusaders in 1999 and the Sharks in 2012 have managed it; the latter being the first to win after a crossing of the Indian Ocean in the finals.

The Brumbies came very close in 2013 when they beat the Bulls in Pretoria and then led the Chiefs in the final, only to run out of gas in the last 15 minutes.

Moore said that experience highlighted the difficulty of the assignment they face in Wellington, but that experience, and two finals appearances last season as well, also served to harden the Brumbies up and boost their chances.

“There’s no doubt that type of thing helps. There are guys in our team now who have played in half-a-dozen finals matches, and the pressure associated with that, you certainly do get accustomed to that type of pressure and that environment. I’d like to think that after a while now those guys are used to it,” Moore said.

“There is no doubt that is a positive for us, and we have to make sure that again this weekend when that pressure comes on we stand up.”

Like a V8 team planning their fuel strategy for Bathurst, the Brumbies are mindful of not hitting empty again with a few laps to run and are mirroring the training plan they used successfully last week ahead of their Stormers victory.

They’ll have one full training today only, before flying to New Zealand tomorrow and having a captains run on Friday.

“It’s making sure we don’t over train this week. We have done plenty of training this year including a pre-season that was pretty arduous on the boys,” coach Stephen Larkham said.

Moore said the lessons learned in 2013, and the growth of the squad since, had him confident they could “make the journey”.

“Two years ago that was certainly a factor for us and I guess this time around I feel like our squad is bit stronger and more experienced,” he said.

“Those (players wearing) 16-23, when they come on they can come make a difference. When I look back to 2013, the Chiefs guys who came off the bench turned the game for them.”

Larkham said he hoped the momentum the Brumbies have brewed up in the last six weeks can carry on, and in contrast wondered if the Hurricanes’ combinations might be a bit rusty after a week off and with several injured players returning.

“They have had the week off, they’ll be nice and fresh but maybe their combinations will be lacking,” Larkham said.

“For us it is about continuing the momentum that we’ve had.”

Moore dismissed the notion the Brumbies had a “nothing to lose attitude” and said their realistic goal was to win and make the final.

“We’re not trying to sneak up on anyone here. We are going over there to play well and play as best we can, and that will give us our best shot at winning,” he said.

Originally published as Super Rugby finals: Brumbies captain Stephen Moore says experience can give team the edge against Hurricanes