Brumbies

James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Feao Fotuaika, Nick Frost, Tom Hooper, Rob Valetini, Rory Scott, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Ryan Lonergan, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole, David Feliuai, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright

Replacements: Lachlan Lonergan, Lington Ieli, Rhys van Nek, Lachlan Shaw, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Declan Meredith, Ollie Sapsford

Crusaders

George Bower, Codie Taylor (c), Tamaiti Williams, Scott Barrett, Antonio Shalfoon, Ethan Blackadder, Tom Christie, Christian Lio-Willie, Noah Hotham, Rivez Reihana, Sevu Reece, Dallas McLeod, Levi Aumua, Chay Fihaki, Johnny McNicholl

Replacements: George Bell, Lewis Ponini, Seb Calder, Tahlor Cahill, Corey Kellow, Kyle Preston, James O'Connor, Braydon Ennor

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Game plan straight up the middle this game ,
Amua there as an extra carrier when he’s fatigued they bring on Ennor.

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Ennor I really wouldn't consider as an impact player at all. They would have been far better to start Ennor and bring on Aumua as impact with 20 minutes to go running his size at some tiring Brumbies forwards.

@1kiwi said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Ennor I really wouldn't consider as an impact player at all. They would have been far better to start Ennor and bring on Aumua as impact with 20 minutes to go running his size at some tiring Brumbies forwards.

Nah run Amua for 50 min soften up their defence to tire it out and use Ennor to distribute wide in the last 20 min.

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@1kiwi said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Ennor I really wouldn't consider as an impact player at all. They would have been far better to start Ennor and bring on Aumua as impact with 20 minutes to go running his size at some tiring Brumbies forwards.

Nah run Amua for 50 min soften up their defence to tire it out and use Ennor to distribute wide in the last 20 min.

I'm afraid that might not work when you have someone like McLeod inside Aumua who will likely get done by Ikitau. Aumua might not even see much ball tbh.

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@1kiwi said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Ennor I really wouldn't consider as an impact player at all. They would have been far better to start Ennor and bring on Aumua as impact with 20 minutes to go running his size at some tiring Brumbies forwards.

Nah run Amua for 50 min soften up their defence to tire it out and use Ennor to distribute wide in the last 20 min.

I'm afraid that might not work when you have someone like McLeod inside Aumua who will likely get done by Ikitau. Aumua might not even see much ball tbh.

we will see

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@1kiwi said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Ennor I really wouldn't consider as an impact player at all. They would have been far better to start Ennor and bring on Aumua as impact with 20 minutes to go running his size at some tiring Brumbies forwards.

Nah run Amua for 50 min soften up their defence to tire it out and use Ennor to distribute wide in the last 20 min.

I'm afraid that might not work when you have someone like McLeod inside Aumua who will likely get done by Ikitau. Aumua might not even see much ball tbh.

we will see

Fair play if it pays off, if it doesn't then it's a big blunder benching Ennor IMO. Just saying.

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@1kiwi said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Ennor I really wouldn't consider as an impact player at all. They would have been far better to start Ennor and bring on Aumua as impact with 20 minutes to go running his size at some tiring Brumbies forwards.

Nah run Amua for 50 min soften up their defence to tire it out and use Ennor to distribute wide in the last 20 min.

I'm afraid that might not work when you have someone like McLeod inside Aumua who will likely get done by Ikitau. Aumua might not even see much ball tbh.

we will see

Fair play if it pays off, if it doesn't then it's a big blunder benching Ennor IMO. Just saying.

Defensively I agree,But I see the idea in cold Canberra at least Ennor is on the bench if it starts to unravel.

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Chris said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@1kiwi said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

@Canes4life said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Odd that Ennor has been benched with no Havili playing. Aumua has been average this season. A bit of a risk by the Saders in my view.

Ennor I really wouldn't consider as an impact player at all. They would have been far better to start Ennor and bring on Aumua as impact with 20 minutes to go running his size at some tiring Brumbies forwards.

Nah run Amua for 50 min soften up their defence to tire it out and use Ennor to distribute wide in the last 20 min.

I'm afraid that might not work when you have someone like McLeod inside Aumua who will likely get done by Ikitau. Aumua might not even see much ball tbh.

we will see

Fair play if it pays off, if it doesn't then it's a big blunder benching Ennor IMO. Just saying.

Defensively I agree,But I see the idea in cold Canberra at least Ennor is on the bench if it starts to unravel.

Yeah, if it doesn't' work I wouldn't be surprised if Aumua was pulled before the half.

Playing Aumua is a no-brainer. Oh wait, it's not 2023 anymore is it?

Someone said the other day that Ennor looks like he's held together with tape - so maybe they're trying to preserve him for the play-offs?

@Chris-B said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

Someone said the other day that Ennor looks like he's held together with tape - so maybe they're trying to preserve him for the play-offs?

They may well have been me. I’ve been told he’s carrying a crazy amount of niggles so I can only assume it’s a case of managing minutes before playoffs.

Hopeless by Hotham. Brumbies in already.

Ponies make us pay for a kick off error

Some good early go forward and clean out by the good guys.

There's something about that stadium that just sucks the life out of ... well everything.

God it's just boring and lacking any atmosphere.

Hate watching matches from Canberra.

Both Noah’s shitting the bed early.

@booboo said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

There's something about that stadium that just sucks the life out of ... well everything.

God it's just boring and lacking any atmosphere.

Hate watching matches from Canberra.

And this will be a penalty fest no doubt about it.

Good carry from Lio-Willie and he’s in.

Both tries have really been a result on the back of errors from the respective Noah’s in each team.

Smart by Wright running straight into Blackadder.

Great kick Sevu

Some shocking kicking in this game so far.

Big impact at no. 6

Blackadder making a great start in this game. Shame he’ll be injured by the half.

We look good with the ball.

Aumua remembers how to Aumua.

And Bkackadder scores.

@ACT-Crusader said in Brumbies v Crusaders:

We look good with the ball.

Out of all teams these conditions shouldn’t worry the Saders. Strong start.

Not Hothams night so far

Meanwhile Fihaki Fihakis

Yep Hotham not playing like an AB so far.

Hotham rushed the kick and it was easy smother.

Great hands Ponies.

Fk that’s lovely by the Brums.

Fihaki bamboozled

Great lines and passing.... Beautiful

Couple of key Wallabies combining there.

Argh, Lio-Willie was through the gap

Ponies lucky there at that scrum as their loosehead folded

The Crusaders are unconvincing. I think the Ponies will win this.