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Brumbies aiming for a hat trick of victories over South African conference teams

By Online Editors
James Slipper. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Scrumhalf Matt Lucas and prop James Slipper are the only two changes to the starting XV for the Brumbies’ fixture with the Jaguares at the Estadio Jose Amalfitani, Velez Sarsfeld on Sunday morning, Australian time.

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Lucas comes into the team in place of Joe Powell, whilst Slipper is selected ahead of Scott Sio as Head Coach Dan McKellar aims to win a third game in succession and claim a second win in South America, after defeating the Jaguares on their own turf back in 2017.

The Brumbies have certainly built up a head of steam over the past fortnight with back-to-back wins over South African opposition, starting with the Lions at GIO Stadium in Canberra and following that up with an epic, backs-to-the-wall defensive masterclass to stun the Stormers 19-17 in Cape Town.

Man of the match in the latter fixture, Jahrome Brown, keeps his place in the backrow alongside Tom Cusack and Pete Samu with Slipper joined in the front row by Folau Fainga’a and Allan Alaalatoa.

Rory Arnold, who was immense in the win over the Stormers, tackling his heart out and scoring a crucial try, continues in the second row alongside Sam Carter.

In the backs, Lucas comes into the side to form a halfback partnership with skipper Christian Lealiifano whilst the midfield pairing of Tom Wright and Tevita Kuridrani are given further licence to shine.

Out wide, Toni Pulu and Henry Speight patrol the wings, Speight having made two try-saving tackles at Newlands, whilst Tom Banks, scorer of the third try of the afternoon in the Republic, remains at fullback.

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Connal McInerney, who flew into Buenos Aires to join up with the squad after Josh Mann-Rea was forced to return home from South Africa injured, will be straight into the action, named as one of five forwards on the bench, alongside Scott Sio and Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin as front row cover.

As last week, Darcy Swain and Murray Douglas are named amongst the finishers, both having contributed mightily to the defensive effort at Newlands. Powell reverts to the bench with Lucas starting whilst Irae Simone and Andy Muirhead round out the matchday squad.

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Jon 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

41 Go to comments
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