This game could well be a dead rubber but as mentioned yesterday on one of the threads, I think the Canes will be going into this one looking to keep their winning run intact.

There are a few injury clouds hanging over a couple players, Aumua didn’t play against Moana but is expected back, and Love tweaked his groin late in the game on Saturday and there are concerns about IWL.

The other big question for many pundits is whether the Canes will start Love at 10 or Cameron at 10. I’d prefer the former as Cameron is a great insurance policy off the bench.

My predicted team is the following:

1. Numia
2. Aumua
3. Lomax
4. Delany
5. Gallagher
6. Flanders
7. Kirifi
8. Lakai
9. Roigard
10. Love
11. Fineanganofo
12. Umaga-Jensen
13. Proctor
14. Sullivan
15. Harkin
16. Tuputupu
17. Mafileo
18. Tosi
19. Plummer
20. Shields
21. Enari
22. Cameron
23. Punivai

Personally think they'll stick with Cameron at 10.

@Mr-Fish said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

Personally think they'll stick with Cameron at 10.

Would be a mistake in my view. Go with Love at 10.

To hell with this idea of picking a weakened XV. Let's send the best team we can over there and smash em.

@sparky said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

To hell with this idea of picking a weakened XV. Let's send the best team we can over there and smash em.

I agree, if we go into the semis with a 6 game winning streak, which includes beating the Ponies twice in Canberra, that will give us massive confidence.

I see a lot of people on Here mentioning weakened XVs for this week. What is that all about?

You're not gonna rest players in knockout rounds.

@African-Monkey said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

I see a lot of people on Here mentioning weakened XVs for this week. What is that all about?

You're not gonna rest players in knockout rounds.

Because the third one one won't really be a knockout if the Chiefs and the Crusaders both win at home. The Brumbies and the Hurricanes will both know then before either of them kick off that they are going to the Semi Finals.

The winner plays the lower ranked opposition in the semi and has a chance of hosting the final

@KiwiMurph said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

@Mr-Fish said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

Personally think they'll stick with Cameron at 10.

Would be a mistake in my view. Go with Love at 10.

100%, we need to attack at all costs and I think Love is the better option to do that. It would also be pretty bloody harsh on Harkin if we don't see him again this campaign. He has been one of the key components to our momentum shift.

If we aren't looking good, then we can bring Cameron on early in the second half as an insurance policy.

The thing I don't get is that Harkin was fully fit last week, why wouldn't you keep that momentum going into the playoffs? Just an odd selection for me.

Injury updates from Laidlaw: no mention of Walker-Leawere so will assume he's unavailable. Delany will likely start with Plummer off the bench.

Laidlaw is hoping to welcome back hooker Asafo Aumua, lock Caleb Delany and winger Ngane Punivai for the first round of the playoffs and he appeared confident that key backs Peter Umaga-Jensen (shoulder) and Ruben Love (groin) would be on the plane despite coming off early against Moana.

@sparky said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

@African-Monkey said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

I see a lot of people on Here mentioning weakened XVs for this week. What is that all about?

You're not gonna rest players in knockout rounds.

Because the third one one won't really be a knockout if the Chiefs and the Crusaders both win at home. The Brumbies and the Hurricanes will both know then before either of them kick off that they are going to the Semi Finals.

Teams need to go into the match with the assumption that its a knock out game. You can't wait until the last minutes of your game to decide whether or not you will turn up.

@brodean said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

@sparky said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

@African-Monkey said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

I see a lot of people on Here mentioning weakened XVs for this week. What is that all about?

You're not gonna rest players in knockout rounds.

Because the third one one won't really be a knockout if the Chiefs and the Crusaders both win at home. The Brumbies and the Hurricanes will both know then before either of them kick off that they are going to the Semi Finals.

Teams need to go into the match with the assumption that its a knock out game. You can't wait until the last minutes of your game to decide whether or not you will turn up.

The following Laidlaw quote from the below article is the perfect mindset IMO - "I’ve never gone into a game of rugby thinking we want to lose so it’ll be all guns blazing and get ready for it.”

@African-Monkey said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

I see a lot of people on Here mentioning weakened XVs for this week. What is that all about?

You're not gonna rest players in knockout rounds.

Go back to 2002, when the Waratahs rested players vs the Crusaders for the final round robin game - because they already had 2nd place on the table wrapped up.

It didn't go well that night nor the following week.

@Chris-B said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

@African-Monkey said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

I see a lot of people on Here mentioning weakened XVs for this week. What is that all about?

You're not gonna rest players in knockout rounds.

Go back to 2002, when the Waratahs rested players vs the Crusaders for the final round robin game - because they already had 2nd place on the table wrapped up.

It didn't go well that night nor the following week.

View embedded content

Well it's not going to happen based on Laidlaw's quote above.

The last thing I think the Canes should do is rest players, surely you want to go into a semi battle hardened.

I don't mind the Canes pulling guys early if they are well ahead, that would happen in any scenerio.

It will be interesting to see what the Brumbies do, I expect them to take the same approach and attack this game with their best squad available. There are injury clouds hanging over arguably their two best players in Ala'alatoa and Ikitau, will be interesting to see if they keep them on ice.

@Canes4life I would be amazed if either team pick anything other than the best they can put on the park.

If the Chiefs happen to lose immediately before this match it becomes must win - so you can't prepare with anything other than the mindset that it is must win.

@Chris-B said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

@African-Monkey said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

I see a lot of people on Here mentioning weakened XVs for this week. What is that all about?

You're not gonna rest players in knockout rounds.

Go back to 2002, when the Waratahs rested players vs the Crusaders for the final round robin game - because they already had 2nd place on the table wrapped up.

It didn't go well that night nor the following week.

View embedded content

Really go back to 2002? Geez there is no comparison anyway, as the result of this game decides who ech team would play next week!

@Chris-B said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

@Canes4life I would be amazed if either team pick anything other than the best they can put on the park.

If the Chiefs happen to lose immediately before this match it becomes must win - so you can't prepare with anything other than the mindset that it is must win.

We’ll find out tomorrow but I’d say both teams will be at full strength (aside from injuries of course).

Aumua carted out of traing today it seems , suspected knee injury.

@Dan54 said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

Aumua carted out of traing today it seems , suspected knee injury.

ugh

@Dan54 said in QF Brumbies vs Hurricanes:

Aumua carted out of traing today it seems , suspected knee injury.

Argh, where did you hear that? Far too many leg injuries at training this year, maybe there’s something in the pitch. Really disappointing for Aumua, after a really solid 2024, nothing has gone his way this year really.