Super Rugby Round 2, 2018: Brumbies vs Sunwolves - Tokyo, 3:15pm (AEDT) 24/2

[Brumby Jack]

Brumbies off to Japan for the first time since their first pre-season games back in 1996.

Brumbies to name their team today with a few spots still up for grabs including backrow and wing.

No idea who the Sunwolves will roll out.

 

[Brumby Jack]

1 Ben ALEXANDER
2 Josh MANN-REA
3 Allan Ala'alatoa
4 Richie ARNOLD
5 Sam CARTER
6 Rob VALETINI
7 Tom CUSACK
8 Isi NAISARANI
9 Joe POWELL
10 Christian LEALIIFANO
11 Chance PENI
12 Kyle GODWIN
13 Tevita KURIDRANI
14 Henry SPEIGHT
15 Tom BANKS

REPLACEMENTS
16 Robbie ABEL
17 Faalelei SIONE
18 Leslie LEULUAIALII-MAKIN
19 Rory ARNOLD
20 Lachlan MCCAFFREY
21 Matt LUCAS
22 Wharenui HAWERA
23 Lausii TALIAULI

Sio injured

 

[Slim 293]

Richie above Rory is an interesting selection..........

Love the backrow, and it's great to see players being rewarded on their form - Sione and Taliauli in particular.

 

[Rebels3]

Where is Folau Fainga'a?

Don't overly understand what Mann-Rea brings above both Abel or Fainga'a other than age and experience.

 

[Slim 293]

Where is Folau Fainga'a?

Don't overly understand what Mann-Rea brings above both Abel or Fainga'a other than age and experience.

Injured........ I'm not sure what kind of injury but he didn't play in any of the trials or the tens.

 

[Hawko]

Injured.... I'm not sure what kind of injury but he didn't play in any of the trials or the tens.

And from another thread, he's in Tonga with his brother for the anniversary of his father's passing and to help after the cyclone.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Hawko, think you might have the wrong family. Not to say he's not in Tonga, but not if you are suggesting he is a relation of Colby.

 

[Hawko]

Hawko, think you might have the wrong family. Not to say he's not in Tonga, but not if you are suggesting he is a relation of Colby.

My bad. I thought they were all related. Remove foot, start again.

 

[Brumby Jack]

Moondogs

Sunwolves: 15 Jason Emery, 14 Lomano Lava Lemeki, 13 Timothy Lafaele, 12 Ryoto Nakamura, 11 Hosea Saumaki, 10 Robbie Robinson, 9 Yutaka Nagare (captain), 8 Willem Britz, 7 Pieter Labuschagne, 6 Kazuki Himeno, 5 Grant Hattingh, 4 Sam Wykes, 3 Jiwon Koo, 2 Ho Shota Horie, 1 Keita Inagaki.
Replacements: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Craig Millar, 18 Asaeli Ai Valu, 19 James Moore, 20 Edward Quirk, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Sione Teaupa

 

[Brumby Jack]

Where is Folau Fainga'a?

Playing for the Brumby Runners this weekend

 

[Brumby Runner]

Main surprise to me is Richie in place of Rory. Not that I think there's a split hair between them, but Rory's test experience I would have expected to have him in front.

Good to see Cusack get the 7 jersey. McCaffrey is a good pick on the bench. Sorry not to see Muirhead there, but I'm not unhappy with Speight, Peni and Taliauli getting the wing spots. I believe Muirhead will be putting a lot of pressure on Banks for the 15 spot as the season progresses.

Also excellent to see the local props on the bench. Both are going great guns. Hope to see Harry Lloyd at some stage as well.

 

[SomeOke]

Sunwolves squad is strange honestly I don't get them at all. It feels like there is something going on behind the scenes but they are basically throwing this game.

No Tamura, no Matsushima, no Fukuoku, no Tatekawa, No Leitch, no Yamada.
Most of their big names are nowhere to be seen, how are they ever going to succeed in Super Rugby if they don't take it seriously, surely you play your strongest side at home?

Very frustrating, they should just leave Super Rugby if they are going to pull this kind of thing, or if they can't get their top 14 sides to actually cooperate.
Brumbies to annihilate this team.

 

[RugbyReg]

Worth reading this article. Team wasn’t picked on reputation.

https://t.co/O4nDksx3so?amp=1


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[RugbyReg]

Plus there are injuries

Kenki Fukuoka: Recovering from surgery in left knee
Yu Tamura: Left knee meniscus tear
Kotaro Matsushima: Right knee ligament damage
Shinya Makabe: Sprained ankle
Wimpie Van Der Walt + Gerhard van den Heever: Pain in groin


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[SomeOke]

Thanks Reg, clears up a few things.
I suppose Joseph knows better than me.

 

[Tomikin]

Now that's a backrow I love to see

6 Rob VALETINI
7 Tom CUSACK
8 Isi NAISARANI

BAMMMM if you can't get over the gain line with that you are in trouble, throw in Poey we are going to cause some teams some damage here..

Rob Valetini for Wallabies number 6 come June ..

 

[Hawko]

Now that's a backrow I love to see

6 Rob VALETINI
7 Tom CUSACK
8 Isi NAISARANI

BAMMMM if you can't get over the gain line with that you are in trouble, throw in Poey we are going to cause some teams some damage here..

Rob Valetini for Wallabies number 6 come June ..

Its certainly the best backrow in Oz by a country mile, even without Pocock. Probably only a couple of NZ backrows that would be as good. If Valetini plays to his reputation he'll solve our Fardy problem and be in a huge fight with Dempsey for the 6 jumper.

Right now spare a thought for the Sunwolves, who get this first up and then Cottrell, Mafi and Timani next week.

 

[Brumby Runner]

It's a big call to name the Brumbies backrow as the best in Aus right now. Valetini is still a teenager, I believe, and I think is starting his first Super Rugby game. In any case he is very inexperienced at this level. Cusack similarly has very little Super Rugby experience, having come to the Brumbies last year from the 7s. And it is Naisarani's first Super Rugby game with the Brumbies. In all, it will be the most inexperienced back row in the conference, probably in all of the Super comp.

A hell of a lot of potential, granted, but much too soon to be labelling them as best in Aus.

The Rebels' backrow is very strong, while the Tahs' combination contains two of the current Wallabies' backrow, with a third still to come back in from injury. Clearly then, the Tahs have the best backrow in Oz and are challenged for that title by the Rebels.

 

[Derpus]

Now that's a backrow I love to see

6 Rob VALETINI
7 Tom CUSACK
8 Isi NAISARANI

BAMMMM if you can't get over the gain line with that you are in trouble, throw in Poey we are going to cause some teams some damage here..

Rob Valetini for Wallabies number 6 come June ..

I'm excited to see Valetini kick on. Valetini/Dempsey fighting it out for the 6 spot sounds a hell of a lot better than have Mumm/Hanigan in there because there is no one else.

 

[fatprop]

I look forward to seeing Valetini under more focus, he does some great things, but lets see his overall game against a higher standard first - and consistently