Brumbies v Offsiders

[RugbyReg]

The CA Brumbies have named an unchanged starting XV for their first Investec Super 14 home fixture against the Crusaders at Canberra Stadium on Friday, 13 February.

CA Brumbies Head Coach Andy Friend has named an nine-man bench ? with the addition of lock Shawn Mackay and flanker Mitchell Chapman ? with two members of the extended reserves list to be omitted prior to the match.

Winger Clyde Rathbone will resume his place on the wing after being cleared of any structural damage during the week stemming from a first half head clash against the Highlanders.

The centre pairing of Stirling Mortlock and Adam Ashley-Cooper ? that scored three tries and set up the CA Brumbies? fourth touchdown ? remains in place while the front row of Nic Henderson, Stephen Moore and Guy Shepherdson also stays unchanged.

Friend says his side must build on their last-minute win over the Highlanders.

?There were a number of pleasing aspects to come out of last Friday?s game but in such a short competition we need to be improving each week,? he said. ?We know that the Crusaders are a quality outfit. They are an extremely patient side that will wait for their opposition to make a mistake and capitalise on it whether that be in the 10th minute or the 80th.

?Given that, the key for us is to focus on our game and not present them with those opportunities.

?While I was fairly pleased with how we came together at times, there?s still room to improve. Our combinations are beginning to click and if we can continue playing the brand of football we want to then we?ll realise that potential.?

Saturday night?s match will also raise funds for the Victorian Bushfire Appeal with Red Cross volunteers and CA Brumbies members collecting donations for those affected by the fires. The CA Brumbies playing squad will also contribute half of Saturday?s match fee to the appeal while Brumbies Rugby will donate one dollar for each spectator at the ground and an additional $20,000 should the attendance reach 20,000.


CA Brumbies v Crusaders
Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Saturday, 21 February 2009
Kick-off: 7.40pm

1. Nic Henderson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Guy Shepherson
4. Ben Hand
5. Mark Chisholm
6. Julian Salvi
7. George Smith
8. Stephen Hoiles (c)
9. Patrick Phibbs
10. Christian Lealiifano
11. Francis Fainifo
12. Stirling Mortlock
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Clyde Rathbone
15. Mark Gerrard

Reserves
16. John Ulugia
17. Ben Alexander
18. Sitaleki Timani
19. Peter Kimlin
20. Joshua Holmes
21. Tyrone Smith
22. Matt To'omua
23. Shawn Mackay
24. Mitchell Chapman

** two to be omitted

Peter Kimlin's bid to win a place in the ACT Brumbies starting team has been stalled by a training injury which could rule him out of Saturday's clash with the Canterbury Crusaders.

The reserve back-rower suffered a corked thigh during a game of 10s rugby in Canberra on Monday night and had to sit out both of the senior squad's training sessions yesterday.

Coach Andy Friend will today name his team to take on the Crusaders, in what will be the Brumbies' first home game of the season and a measure of the ACT team's title credentials.

The only change Friend is considering to the starting team that beat the Otago Highlanders last weekend is bringing Josh Holmes into the run-on team at scrumhalf.

But even that is unlikely, considering Patrick Phibbs impressed as first-choice No 9 in Dunedin five nights ago.

If Kimlin failed to pass a fitness test in the lead-up to the Crusaders match, Mitchell Chapman would come on to the bench as his replacement.

Kimlin was optimistic he would be declared fit to play.

"It's a bit tender to be honest but it'll be fine," Kimlin said.

"The first 24 hours is when it's most tender, which it still is, but I should be fine to train with the boys again soon. I don't think it's a big deal, just a bit of a niggle."

Coach Friend wasn't so sure Kimlin would make the match-day squad.

"Pete's probably still a little behind with his fitness as well but with time he'll get there with that," Friend said.

"There's a chance of an adjustment to the 22 but we'll wait and see how everybody is."

Kimlin came off the bench against the Highlanders at Carisbrook on Friday night but played only five minutes. It was his first match since playing for the Wallabies against the Barbarians in December.

Chapman looms as a logical replacement.

The 26-year-old Queenslander played in 12 of the Brumbies' 13 games last season but was still unable to earn selection in Friend's round-one team.

He admitted to being "fairly disappointed" by his non-selection but hoped his fortunes would change.

"I'm not sure why [I wasn't picked] to be honest," Chapman said.

"I had a chat to Andy about it and he said with my shoulder, which I had surgery on about six or seven months ago, and some fitness [questions] that he went with other guys.

"I've played the twilight 10s which is handy for fitness but it's hard to compare that to a proper 15-a-side hit-out."

Friend said he was impressed with Chapman's form on Monday night.

interesting quotes there from Mitch. He's not happy is he? And he clearly believes he hasn't been told the proper reasons. Whats with them playing this 10s comp about 5 days before they play the Cru? I know it was the non-playing squad and the reserves bench from last week, but seems an odd call. And now Kimlin's in doubt.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Re: Bru v Cru

I saw Chapman down at Deadmans Beach at North Stradbroke during the Xmas break and he was looking fit and big, I hope he gets the chance to impress this weekend. Despite his height (197cm odd) he's one of Oz's best lineout jumpers and would be better served at the Brums if he played a bit of lock with all their backrow depth.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Re: Bru v Cru

Word on the street is McCaw, Thorn and MacDonald are out injured.

 

[Lee Grant]

Re: Bru v Cru

I saw Chapman in the Tahs trial here a couple of weeks ago and I wasn't surprised that he wasn't picked.

It was mentioned that he hadn't played for a while - and if that was correct, it looked like it. Mind you, not many forwards played well that day - the forwards' performance against the Clan was heaps better.

 

[disco]

Re: Bru v Cru

interesting quotes there from Mitch. He's not happy is he? And he clearly believes he hasn't been told the proper reasons.

We'll take him back at the Reds.

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Bru v Cru

Crusaders top 3 to miss Brumbies clash
February 19, 2009 - 10:09AM

The Brumbies' task against Super 14 rugby champions the Crusaders on Saturday has become less daunting with key All Blacks Richie McCaw, Brad Thorn and Leon MacDonald ruled out.

The trio all failed to recover sufficiently from injuries suffered in their first round home win over the Chiefs last weekend and were omitted from the team named on Thursday for the Canberra Stadium match.

All Blacks captain McCaw received a head knock and team management said the champion openside flanker was not ready to play, although he had improved significantly. He's replaced by George Whitelock.

Lock Thorn (heel) and fullback MacDonald (shoulder) are replaced by Isaac Ross and Stephen Brett respectively with blindside flanker Kieran Read to captain the side.

Crusaders head coach Todd Blackadder said McCaw was close to being available but was not quite 100 per cent.

"He has been following our concussion protocols this week and we've been monitoring him closely but the Crusaders management, along with Richie, have decided that he won't play this week," Blackadder said.

He said it was too early to say how long Thorn and MacDonald would be out for.

Crusaders: Stephen Brett, Jared Payne, Casey Laulala, Tim Bateman, Kade Poki, Colin Slade, Andy Ellis, Thomas Waldrom, George Whitelock, Kieran Read (capt), Ross Filipo, Isaac Ross, Ben Franks, Corey Flynn, Wyatt Crockett. Res: Jason Macdonald, Bronson Murray, Michael Paterson, Nasi Manu, Kahn Fotuali'i, Ryan Crotty, Adam Whitelock.

a head knock keeping Richie out isn't a good sign. Hope he doesn't go the way of his fellow absentee Leon MacDonald.

 

[disco]

Re: Bru v Cru

a head knock keeping Richie out isn't a good sign. H

He had a lot of problems with concussion back in 2004 & missed the tri-nations. Probably just a precaution as it's early days.

 

[Lee Grant]

Re: Bru v Cru

We don't won't to see champs like McCaw, or any rugby player for that matter, to have such and injury.

Andy Friend will know that 3 missing players doesn't mean that his team will have an automatic winning advantage, but I'd reckon he'd be smiling today, all the same.

That must be one of the weakest Crusaders teams for some time. I wonder what the current odds are?

 

[RugbyReg]

Re: Bru v Cru

Ok. Need the wingers, maybe both centres (at least Morty at 12), Phibbs, either Chis or Hand and probably Moore, maybe Henderson to have cracking games so that this week's team of the round can be half decent.

 

[disco]

Re: Bru v Cru

Ok. Need the wingers, maybe both centres (at least Morty at 12), Phibbs, either Chis or Hand and probably Moore, maybe Henderson to have cracking games so that this week's team of the round can be half decent.

Picking a best 15 shouldn't be to hard as the Tahs front row was good the Force backrow was good the Qld halves played well (lucas & cooper) we just need some centres & wingers to shine.

 

[formeropenside]

Re: Bru v Cru

Hoiles is ... well, its like having an extra halfback.

 

[rugbywhisperer]

Re: Bru v Cru

So where do you start,
Lealiifano - an absolute shocker, it's a shame to have such greak outside backs and waste them with such little distribution.
Crusaders defence was utterly magnificent, defence wins games and in this case it very nearly did but how do you defend against such relentless pressure from such overwhelming posession and territory.
Mark Gerard my MOTM - a brilliant game.
It's a shame the ref wasn't on the ball more for the Crusaders half manhandling of Holmes as his distribution was greatly affected by the sniping but as Phil Kearns said, that is why half backs are put on the planet.

 

[Scarfman]

I've taken the liberty of adjusting the thread title.

Apart from that, I thought it was a fascinating battle between the most interesting attack and the most interesting defence.

Here's my prediction: due to the change of defensive style, the Offsiders will score a lot fewer points this year. It's all very well having a brick wall defence, but tries win Super14 matches. They've moved away from their counter-attack set-up a little bit and I think it'll cost them in the end.

 

[Pfitzy]

So another week of close games for the Aussie sides. Just the Reds missing the choccies with a good comeback (which I hope to watch shortly). Once they get get Jimmy and Eminem back they should harden the fuck up a bit.

 

[Lee Grant]

That was a great win by the Brumbies. I didn't think they could do it because the defence of the Saders was so good - even the legal stuff - but in the end the relentless Brumbies attack tired them out.

That was a great kicking game by Gerrard for the Brumbies and he took his chance for the final try as a senior player should. It was reminiscent of his game in the wet against the Tahs last year and why I offered a minority opinion that he should be in any Wallaby squad to be on hand in case there is a bad weather game and such kicking is needed.

I thought that Hoiles had his best game since the Reds match last year - but that was when there was heaps of front foot ball; so his game tonight had more merit.

Last week Lealiifano had the best game I ever saw him play but tonight the young bloke had a bit of a mare. By contrast the Saders flyhalf, Slade, showed why he is rated on the other side of the ditch and why he is playing 10 ahead of Brett.

I thought McCaw's replacement, Whitelock, had a top game. He certainly knows where the side gate is.

But the three Saders absentees were missed. As I write this there is not a team who has played better than they have in the two rounds - as good as yes, but not better - and I reckon they'll be defending their title come finals time.

Wouldn't mind being wrong though.

There have been more crap games than good games in the S14 this year, and notably last night at the SFS, but this one was a good game of footie.