Hurricanes V Brumbies Semi-Final, Sat 27th June

[Brumby Runner]

So without Speight there are a few options for the right wing including James Dargaville, Nigel Ah Wong and Lausi Taliauli.

Is Lausi fit? Last I heard he was out injured.

 

[FrankLind]

The replacement is marking Savea, so good defence would be the first requirement.

 

[qwerty51]

You'd put the more experienced Tomane on Savea but then there's still Jane or Milner-Skudder

 

[Pfitzy]

You'd put the more experienced Tomane on Savea but then there's still Jane or Milner-Skudder

Don't fuck around with existing structures, first of all.

Whoever is on Savea will simply have to make sure he doesn't get any space.

My plan to handle him would be:

1) Stand narrow to give him the impression of space

2) Let the inside defence run the line, while you shoot for the 13 or intercept on Savea's inside shoulder - try to shut the attack down. If you can blindside Conrad Smith once or twice you'll have done well, or at least cut down their cutout pass options

3) Blindside winger runs hard for your side when the ball heads toward Savea

4) Pocock or Fardy will be there to pick up the scraps.


If you're going to try and run a standard defence against him, you're going to get run over. So get someone with pace up in his grill to make clean ball delivery difficult, and try to catch the Canes behind the ad line.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

At least we won't be looking at acres of baby-kak yellow seats, the bandwagon jumpers have come out in force:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...urricanes-home-semifinal-against-act-brumbies

As you'd expect there'll be a pre-match tribute to Jerry Collins:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...ute-for-jerry-collins-at-hurricanes-semifinal

Collins' old club have bought up tickets in Aisle 6 & will be wearing their blue & white as their way of remembering him. I'm picking a certain recently-appointed Blues coach may also be in attendance...........

 

[Braveheart81]

Hurricanes XV:

1. Reggie Goodes
2. Dane Coles
3. Ben Franks
4. Jeremy Thrush
5. James Broadhurst
6. Brad Shields
7. Ardie Savea
8. Victor Vito
9. TJ Perenara
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Julian Savea
12. Ma’a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith (c)
14. Nehe Milner-Skudder
15. James Marshall

Replacements

16. Brayden Mitchell
17. Chris Eves
18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
19. Mark Abbott
20. Blade Thomson
21. Chris Smylie
22. Rey Lee-Lo

23. Matt Proctor

 

[Hawko]

Hurricanes XV:

1. Reggie Goodes
2. Dane Coles
3. Ben Franks
4. Jeremy Thrush
5. James Broadhurst
6. Brad Shields
7. Ardie Savea
8. Victor Vito
9. TJ Perenara
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Julian Savea
12. Ma’a Nonu
13. Conrad Smith (c)
14. Nehe Milner-Skudder
15. James Marshall

Replacements

16. Brayden Mitchell
17. Chris Eves
18. Jeffery Toomaga-Allen
19. Mark Abbott
20. Blade Thomson
21. Chris Smylie
22. Rey Lee-Lo

23. Matt Proctor

There aren't too many obvious weaknesses in that line-up. Only chance for the Brumbies I think is to do what the Waratahs did and dominate their players in the collisions, especially the forwards.

 

[Braveheart81]

The only players missing are Cory Jane from one wing and Motu Matu'u as reserve hooker.

On form you could certainly make an argument that they lose nothing having James Marshall in the starting XV instead of Jane.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Brumbies

1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore (c)
3. Ben Alexander
4. Rory Arnold
5. Blake Enever
6. Scott Fardy
7. David Pocock
8. Ita Vaea
9. Nic White
10. Christian Lealiifano
11. Joe Tomane
12. Matt To'omua
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Lausii Taliauli
15. Jesse Mogg

Replacements
16. Josh Mann-Rea
17. Allan Ala'alatoa
18. Ruan Smith
19. Jordan Smiler
20. Jarrad Butler
21. Michael Dowsett
22. Nigel Ah Wong
23. Robbie Coleman

 

[FrankLind]

AB vs Wallaby midfield - albeit with To'omua lacking gametime.

 

[mudskipper]

The only players missing are Cory Jane from one wing and Motu Matu'u as reserve hooker.

On form you could certainly make an argument that they lose nothing having James Marshall in the starting XV instead of Jane.

Not so sure about that... Canes set piece is so so and Brumbies is performing well...

No Jane, Canes will run a rookie on the wing instead I think Marshall would have held the 15 spot and No Speight for the brumbies so perhaps evens there...

Flyhalf Barrett is just back from a leg strain following a more serious injury still very questionable on his speed, kicking and 80 minutes fitness...

I don't think the canes have an answer for Pocock thou... tHe Pocock Fardy Vaea combo last week ripped the stormers open...

Big worry is the Cake tin and goal kicking there is always in swirly winds... Leo needs to be at his best...

 

[mudskipper]

AB vs Wallaby midfield - albeit with To'omua lacking gametime.

Barrett's lacking plenty of game time too... an d To'omua was good last week... he also know Nonu's weaknesses well...

 

[ACT Crusader]

No Jane, Canes will run a rookie on the wing instead I think Marshall would have held the 15 spot and No Speight for the brumbies so perhaps evens there.

That rookie on the wing happens to be Milner-Skudder who has had a stellar season playing both fullback and wing and carved up all opposition defences. He is on fire and finds himself in an AB extended squad.

 

[Pfitzy]

Big worry is the Cake tin and goal kicking there is always in swirly winds. Leo needs to be at his best.

His "best" lately is not that great, unfortunately.

The rest of your post is quite optimistic, and for that I applaud you.

But now I must assume you're Blocka Dutton...

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Sportsbet.com.au & tab.co.nz both offering ~$1.50 'canes ~$3.25 Brumbies for the SF & ~$1.80 'canes ~$8.00 Brumbies to take out the title.

 

[Tomikin]

Don't fuck around with existing structures, first of all.

Whoever is on Savea will simply have to make sure he doesn't get any space.

My plan to handle him would be:

1) Stand narrow to give him the impression of space

2) Let the inside defence run the line, while you shoot for the 13 or intercept on Savea's inside shoulder - try to shut the attack down. If you can blindside Conrad Smith once or twice you'll have done well, or at least cut down their cutout pass options

3) Blindside winger runs hard for your side when the ball heads toward Savea

4) Pocock or Fardy will be there to pick up the scraps.


If you're going to try and run a standard defence against him, you're going to get run over. So get someone with pace up in his grill to make clean ball delivery difficult, and try to catch the Canes behind the ad line.

They have gone the fast player they have Lausi Taliauli should be a pretty good one on one defender as well from 7's but I'm guessing.

 

[Brumby Runner]

The speculation is all about how to stop Julian Savea. The stats published elsewhere suggest Savea has some major defense issues, and Taliauli has the size, step and pace to take advantage of any deficiency with ball in hand. My main concern is that the occasion might get the better of him and that he will spill more ball than he catches.

Still a very big ask for anyone to mark up on Savea and just how good he manages to do so will have a bearing on the outcome, at least in number of tries scored by the Canes if not on the result.

Go Brumbies.

 

[Brumby Jack]

The speculation is all about how to stop Julian Savea. The stats published elsewhere suggest Savea has some major defense issues

Has missed 21 tackles and hopefully adds to that

 

[Brumbieman]

I'm pretty confident about this game.

The Canes haven't beaten us for four years, we don't have a hoodoo with them, unlike the Crusaders.

They haven't played finals footy before, and in front of a full house will be under a lot of pressure, and very few squad members with the experience of finals footy to know how to handle that.

We've come back from SA, sure, but we have a MUCH stronger bench than we did in in the final against the Chiefs and having done it once before the players will be a bit more composed this time.

Our set piece is better than the Canes and we have the style of game that will stop them; beat the shit out of their ball runners, dominate the set piece, make a mess of the breakdown and not allow the game to break down into a free for all.

Barret is coming back from injury and has a knee very heavily strapped, NMK battling a hamstring injury. I'll bet Bernie has had various people training all week how to run certain angles that will force each player to use the dodgy leg and see what happens.

Brumbies by 5.

 

[Benaud]

Sportsbet.com.au & tab.co.nz both offering ~$1.50 'canes ~$3.25 Brumbies for the SF & ~$1.80 'canes ~$8.00 Brumbies to take out the title.

You can get $4 for the Brumbies now shopping around. Still unders I reckon but there is some confidence in this thread.