The Brumbies welcome the Waratahs on Friday night, looking to get their season back on track after 1-3 start to the 2019 season. The home side will be stinging after letting a golden opportunity against the Rebels slip and have made a number of changes this week against a Waratahs side who are coming off a tough win over the Reds.
It is not make or break just yet for the Brumbies but this match is the second of a treble against Aussie opposition and another loss could put a bit of a gap between themselves and the front-runners of the Aussie conference.
The Brumbies will be looking to rectify their second half fade outs that have cost them dearly in the two losses to the Rebels where they lead at half time before being run down and they were in the game against the Hurricanes before suffering the same fate.
Their task has become that little bit tougher with injuries ruling out David Pocock with a calf injury and prop Allan Alaalatoa with a wrist injury sustained against the Rebels. Coach Dan McKellar has made seven changes throughout the 23 highlighted by Lausii Taliauli named for his first start since suffering a knee injury in the trial against the Waratahs and his height will be crucial in containing Israel Folau’s aerial threat.
In Pocock’s absence, Tom Cusack shifts to 7 and Lachie McCaffrey comes back into the starting side at 8 after a week off. With Allan Alaalatoa out, Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin takes over at tighthead and will need a big game after being put under real pressure in the defeat to the Rebels.
Irae Simone has come back into the starting side at 12 at the expense of Tom Wright, who is out of the 23 altogether. On the bench there are two new faces in the backs with locals Jordan Jackson-Hope and Mack Hansen alongside reserve prop Tom Ross in line for his debut.
On the other side of the coin, the Waratahs have a relatively settled side with only two changes in the starting side as Alex Newsome was expected to take the place of Curtis Rona on the wing but a hamstring injury to Karmichael Hunt late in the week sees a backline reshuffle of Beale at 12, Folau back to 15 and Rona in 14 but don’t be surprised if Rona and Newsome switch wings.
Nick Phipps is back on the bench after recovering from a calf injury of his own that he picked up at Wallabies camp back in pre-season and will no doubt be his energetic self when he eventually takes to the field. His inclusion on the bench is probably could be the difference with his experience alongside Tatafu Polota-Nau crucial to getting them the win.
The strengths of both sides are in contrast with the Brumbies forwards looking the goods and the Waratahs star-studded backline also causing damage so it seems simple for both sides to not play to the opposition strengths.
The Brumbies will be hoping for a tight battle and use their forwards and get over the top but their success will depend on their patience and game management which went missing against the Rebels in the second half.
The Waratahs game plan seems pretty simple, but stopping them is another matter altogether. With Bernard Foley pulling the strings and Beale now at 12, it gives them a dual playmaker option to try and find space for Folau.
Match up
McCaffrey vs Dempsey
With the World Cup on the horizon, the Wallabies will be looking to find that missing piece of the backrow puzzle to come up with an alternative to the Hooper/Pocock combo. Isi Naisarani’s name has been thrown around as a possibility now that he is eligible but Lachlan McCaffrey and Jack Dempsey can’t be discounted – McCaffrey has been solid in his games this year and one of their best forwards so far and Dempsey is working his way back after missing the majority of last year.
Prediction
The Brumbies have won four of the last five encounters between the two sides, including putting a dent in the Waratahs home finals chances in 2018, and will be looking to get one up on their arch rival. The late scratching of Karmichael Hunt will be a big blow to the Waratahs midfield defence.
It’s going to be close but Brumbies by 1..
TEAMS
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BRUMBIES
1 Scott Sio
2 Folau Fainga’a
3 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin
4 Rory Arnold
5 Sam Carter
6 Rob Valetini
7 Tom Cusack
8 Lachlan McCaffrey
9 Joe Powell
10 Christian Lealiifano
11 Lausii Taliauli
12 Irae Simone
13 Tevita Kuridrani
14 Henry Speight
15 Tom Banks
Replacements
16 Josh Mann-Rea
17 James Slipper
18 Tom Ross
19 Murray Douglas
20 Pete Samu
21 Ryan Lonergan
22 Jordan Jackson-Hope
23 Mack Hansen
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Waratahs
1 Harry Johnson-Holmes
2 Damien Fitzpatrick
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Jed Holloway
5 Rob Simmons
6 Ned Hanigan
7 Michael Hooper
8 Jack Dempsey
9 Jake Gordon
10 Bernard Foley
11 Alex Newsome
12 Kurtley Beale
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Curtis Rona
15 Israel Folau
Replacements
16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
17 Rory O’Connor
18 Chris Talakai
19 Ryan McCauley
20 Lachlan Swinton
21 Nick Phipps
22 Mack Mason
23 Cameron Clark
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MATCH DEETS
Kick off: 7:45pm AEDT
GIO Stadium
Friday 15 March
Referee: Glen ‘Jacko’ Jackson
AR1: Jordan Way
AR2: Amy Perrett
TMO: James Leckie[/one_third]
