The Brumbies are out to make amends at GIO Stadium tonight when they take on the Hurricanes in the last Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific playoff match after the Hurricanes snapped an eight-year losing streak in Canberra in round 11 when they cracked a 35-29 win.
Fiji-born Hurricanes winger Kini Naholo was pivotal in the match, making 10 tackle-busts en route to two tries, but will miss this match up after suffering an ACL injury last month, with Fatafehi Fineanganofo taking his place.
Brumbies fullback Tom Wright says there were still plenty of strike weapons in the visitors’ line-up and they couldn’t give them any room to move.
Peter Umaga-Jensen and Billy Proctor are two of the form centres of the competition and will keep the Brumbies pairing of Len Ikitau and David Feliuai on their toes.
Wright says he saw Umaga-Jensen scoring an impressive try last weekend, and Billy Proctor was also impressive in the centres, so the Brumbies’ centres’ pair of Len Ikitau and David Feliuai will have their hands full tonight.
He says the Hurricanes bring in the expansive style of football, they play an exciting game and there’s going to be a lot of points scored, so the Brumbies are looking forward to that challenge.
Dependent on the results of the other two finals, as the third-ranked team the Brumbies could still advance to the semi-finals even with a loss.
Wright says for all the good work that the Brumbies did, they made it hard on themselves, so they need to be a bit sharper as very much more of the same challenge will be coming at them tonight from the Hurricanes’ big ball-carrying, physical players.
He says they are looking forward to bringing the game to the Hurricanes.
The Brumbies will host the Hurricanes at 9.35 tonight in Canberra.
In another playoff match tonight, the Chiefs will host the Blues at 7.05pm in Hamilton.
Source: RugbyPass
