The ACT Brumbies will want to send off departing skipper Nic White in style by creating history this weekend when they take on the Chiefs in their Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific semi final clash in Hamilton on Saturday.
After defeating the Hurricanes 37-33 in Canberra last week to extend their season, the Brumbies will be intending on becoming the first Australian team to win a Super Rugby finals match in New Zealand.
The Western Force-bound White is among six players plus two coaches leaving the club at season’s end and lock Tom Hooper says the Brumbies’ opportunity to achieve a feat never previously attained is providing just the motivation required.
Hooper says he saw a statistic on TV that no Australian team had won in 14 (finals) games in New Zealand and they definitely want to put an end to that.
He says the Brumbies have a really good history in finals footy so hopefully they can keep that going.
Hooper says there’s a lot to play for and as desperate as the Brumbies are to win the trophy, they yearn just as strongly to keep their campaign going for another two weeks, knowing the squad is breaking up.
After losing last year’s semi-final to the Blues in Auckland by one point, the Brumbies know winning across the Tasman is possible.
The Brumbies will take on the Chiefs at 7.05pm.
The Blues will take on the Crusaders in the first semi final at 7.05pm Friday in Christchurch.
