Injury-hit Brumbies stick to tri-halves plan
BY CHRIS DUTTON, RUGBY UNION
14 Apr, 2011 06:37 AM
The injury depleted ACT Brumbies are confident their growing casualty ward will not derail their hopes of beating the Western Force on Sunday.
Coach Tony Rea will give a host of stars until tomorrow to prove they are fit for the round nine Super Rugby match at Canberra Stadium.
Though yesterday's training was intense Ben Hand left the field with blood pouring from a cut above his eye the session was missing several senior players.
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau, Huia Edmonds and Peter Kimlin failed to train at Viking Park.
Of the quartet, Edmonds is the most unlikely to play as he battles a hamstring injury.
He will have a fitness test at training tomorrow with Ashley-Cooper, Giteau and Kimlin all expected to take their place in the squad for the clash against the Force.
The Brumbies will continue with their rotating flyhalves combination of Giteau, Matt To'omua and Christian Lealiifano.
But a fully fit Pat McCabe could force his way into the No13 jumper, with Andrew Smith moving from outside centre to the wing, as the Brumbies chase two consecutive wins for the first time this season.
Attack coach Stephen Larkham is keen to make minimal changes to give the new tri-halves back line an opportunity to fire.
''We're keeping Coopy out of contact training and giving him to the last minute to get it right,'' Larkham said.
''A decision [on back-line positions] will be made later in the week, Patty [McCabe] can play three positions: at fullback, on the wing or at outside centre.
''We've got to look at Coopy's injury and that might mean [Francis Fainifo] coming into the team and there's a few combinations we have to look at.
''We haven't made too many changes this year to get continuity and cohesion in the group.''
Ashley-Cooper is battling a cork on his hip, but said not training early in the week would help him recover in time to play the Force. Though he played only 30 minutes of the Brumbies' one-point win over the Wellington Hurricanes last weekend, he started to recapture his best form.
Larkham said the coaches had been waiting for Ashley-Cooper to get more involved in matches, to ensure he could have a major impact on the result.
Ashley-Cooper said he finally found some rhythm against the Hurricanes.
''I was getting a little bit of ball, which was good,'' Ashley-Cooper said.
''It was just a shame, disappointing and frustrating that it only lasted 30 minutes because I felt like I could have a real impact.
''Sometimes in the back three you don't see that much ball ... I was happy with the way things were progressing in attack [against the Hurricanes].
''It's important not just to be limited to the left wing, you've got to go all over the park.''
If Ashley-Cooper misses the match, Fainifo will earn a recall after being dropped last weekend.
The Brumbies' backs and forwards depth has been severely tested this season.
Rocky Elsom, Stephen Hoiles, Stephen Moore, Mitchell Chapman and Henry Speight are already on the injured list.
