The Brumbies have headed to South Africa to try and maintain their unbeaten start to the season when they play the Stormers in Cape Town on Sunday morning (4:15am KO AEDT).
This is the third trip to the Cape for the Brumbies in two seasons after a regular season game and the qualifying final in 2015 at Newlands with a close loss and a dominant win out of those two games so won’t be intimidated by the crowd or venue.
That last game will be hot on the minds of the Stormers this week with the home side embarrassed in front of their home fans with Joe Tomane running riot then and he has shown more of the same form already in 2016 with a couple of tries and leading the clean breaks charts.
More of the same please Joe.
The Brumbies have shown a few new tricks to their attacking game this season but up against a heavily defensive side that has only conceded three so far, they will have to be on their game and patient to cross the line to add to their 15 tries already in 2016.
Not everything has gone the Brumbies way in 2016 with a few wobbles putting their use of the rolling maul from set piece to work and up against a top lineout operator in Eben Etzebeth, who has six steals this season, there will be little room for error as the Stormers look to bounce back from a close loss to the Shorks last week.
Key Matchups
David Pocock v. Schalk Burger
Despite Pocock named at 7 and Burger at 8, these two will be heavily involved throughout the match and look to continue their long rivalry. Burger missed the qualifying final in 2015 but has been around long enough to cause damage at the breakdown with Carr and Kolisi to assist him.
Sam Carter v. Eben Etzebeth
Carter is one of four Brumbies players to have played every minute so far in 2016 and the only forward to do so. He had a strong game last week against the Force and will need more of the same dirty, grafting work to get over the Stormers.
Etzebeth has been an important cog in the Stormers forward pack with his lineout prowess and by all reports had a decent off season in the gym as he competes with Pocock for the biggest arms.
PREDICTION
I’m not expecting many tries* in this one as both sides will go hard at the ball at the breakdown which is where the game will be won and lost. Jaco Peyper has the whistle but he was in charge of the last game between these two so hopefully it won’t be heard often and the two teams can sort it out themselves in a close one with the Brumbies by 7.
(* = Tomane will probably score another hat trick now.)
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BRUMBIES
1. Scott Sio
2. Stephen Moore (c)
3. Ben Alexander
4. Rory Arnold
5. Sam Carter
6. Scott Fardy
7. David Pocock
8. Jarrad Butler
9. Tomas Cubelli
10. Christian Lealiifano (c)
11. Joe Tomane
12. Matt Toomua
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Henry Speight
15. Aidan Toua
RESERVES
16. Josh Mann-Rea
17. Allan Alaalatoa
18. Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin
19. Tom Staniforth
20. Jordan Smiler
21. Michael Dowsett
22. Robbie Coleman
23. Nigel Ah Wong
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STORMERS
1 JC Janse van Rensburg
2 Bongi Mbonambi
3 Frans Malherbe
4 Eben Etzebeth
5 Pieter-Steph du Toit
6 Nizaam Carr
7 Siya Kolisi
8 Schalk Burger
9 Nic Groom
10 Kurt Coleman
11 Dillyn Leyds
12 Juan de Jongh
13 Johnny Kotze
14 Kobus van Wyk
15 Cheslin Kolbe
RESERVES
16 Scarra Ntubeni
17 Oli Kebble
18 Vincent Koch
19 JD Schickerling
20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe
21 Louis Schreuder
22 Jean-Luc du Plessis
23 Leolin Zas
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Stats by Opta Sports
