The Brumbies have named an unchanged line-up for Saturday’s Super Rugby Qualifier against the DHL Stormers at DHL Newlands.
David Pocock has been named at flanker despite leaving the field with concussion concerns in the 37 / 24 loss to the Crusaders at GIO Stadium.
“He’s on track to play,” head coach Stephen Larkham said.
“But every day he’s got to tick a box, so he could fall back a day and miss the game.”
The match against the Stormers would be Pocock’s 1st ever Super Rugby Finals appearance. In 2013 in his 1st season with the Brumbies, Pocock missed the side’s run to the final following a season-ending knee injury.
Also under an injury cloud for the Brumbies is Matt Toomua who has been named as a replacement. Last week the 24-year-old played 28 minutes from the bench in just his 2nd game in 8 matches following 2 separate ankle injuries.
“Coming back from a syndesmosis… everything is cleared medically, it’s just whether he feels good, which I suspect he will,” Larkham said.
Les Makin and Nigel Ah Wong have been named on an extended bench after travelling to South Africa with the squad.
The Brumbies are preparing for another physical game against the Stormers, to whom they lost 25 / 24 at Newlands in May.
“It was test match intensity and that’s what’s required to beat the Stormers,” Larkham said.
“They’ve got a very big forward pack so the biggest lesson for us is understanding that physicality will be a massive part of this game.”
The side isn’t concerned that they haven’t won in Cape Town since 2010, and will be out to replicate their South African Finals success of 2013. In that match the Brumbies downed heavy favourites the Bulls 26 / 23 with a try in the final minute sealing the win.
The Brumbies have won 2-out-of-2 in the Super Rugby Qualifiers and this is the 3rd year in a row they have played in this stage.
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Robbie Coleman, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Nic White, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Blake Enever, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (Captain), 1 Scott Sio
Replacements (from): 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 James Dargaville, 24 Les Makin, 25 Nigel Ah Wong.
Date: Saturday 20 June
Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-Off: 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, Sunday 01:05 AEST, Sunday 03:05 NZ Time)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Jason Jaftha (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommenstein (South Africa)
Go Stormers!
The DHL Stormers team to face the Brumbies (home) is as follows:
15. Cheslin Kolbe
14. Dillyn Leyds
13. Juan de Jongh (captain)
12. Damian de Allende
11. Seabelo Senatla
10. Demetri Catrakilis
9. Nic Groom
8. Nizaam Carr
7. Siya Kolisi
6. Schalk Burger (vice-captain)
5. Manuel Carizza
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Frans Malherbe
2. Bongi Mbonambi
1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements:
16. Scarra Ntubeni
17. Ali Vermaak
18. Vincent Koch
19. Jean Kleyn
20. Michael Rhodes
21. Louis Schreuder
22. Kurt Coleman
23. Jaco Taute
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Jason Jaftha (South Africa)
TMO: Deon van Blommestein (South Africa)
@ Angostura:
Tough game to call, this one. Hope it’s a worthwhile contest.
@ GoBokkeAndIreland:
yip
2 evenly matched squads
but home ground advantage could be the clincher …
@ Angostura:
I truly hope so! I’ll be loyally supporting the Stormers from one of my locals, with a cold beer in my hand, shouting support (and cursing loudly when they mess up)!
All officials are local. Is that a good thing?
fender wrote:
No
@ fender:
Not at all.
Game is klaar in die sakkie, die programme word al gedruk daar by die Tahs vs Stormers game volgende week. Nie net Peyper nie, Joubert ook, daar kan regtig niks fout gaan nie, behalwe vir die groot C ……
Gee, but these Bulls/Cheetahs/Lions & Tjarkie supporters are all so lucky…just think…by 19:00 tomorrow night they’ll have the cleanest cars, the shopping will all be done, the gardens will be clean & they would’ve all already been out for supper and, in some cases, they would’ve also been to the Mall to watch “Jurassic World”.
They just don’t realise how lucky they are.
Phew…Canberra – Cape Town – Sydney – Wellington all in a matter of weeks.
Plus “extra baggage” on the flight back to Canberra!
I suppose the plus side of things is all the air miles.
@ BrumbiesBoy:
We will leave some wax for you for next weekend 😉
@ BrumbiesBoy:
My apologies; on Sunday we fly straight from Cape Town to Wellington according to this:
http://www.brumbies.com.au/News/Article/tabid/1213/ArticleID/15517/Lealiifano-to-play-100th-match-for-the-Brumbies-this-weekend.aspx
😳 😳 😳
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