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Brumbies make 12 changes for Super clash with Force

Tom Banks and Toni Pulu. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

The ACT Brumbies will travel to Perth to take on the Western Force in Super Rugby Pacific without eight of their Wallabies stars.

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Coach Stephen Larkham has made 12 changes to his starting side for Saturday’s round 13 clash against the Force, who are looking to hold down the last spot in the top eight.

Rugby Australia’s Rugby World Cup resting policy sees James Slipper, Lachlan Lonergan, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Rob Valetini, Nic White, Len Ikitau and Tom Wright rested for the Brumbies’ trip to the west.

In their place centre Hudson Creighton gets his first Super start, while Blake Schoupp and Rhys Van Nek start in the front row, with Billy Pollard at hooker.

Tom Hooper makes his return to the Brumbies’ run-on side to partner Darcy Swain in the second row, with Jack Wright the reserve lock.

In the back row, Charlie Cale comes in at blindside, with Rory Scott in the No.7 jersey and Pete Samu anchoring the scrum.

Ryan Lo nergan will lead the side at halfback, with Jack Debreczeni getting a start at five-eighth ahead of Noah Lolesio, while Andy Muirhead is the new fullback in place of Wright.

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Having been named in the Junior Wallabies squad on Wednesday, young halfback Klayton Thorn is on debut off the bench for the second-placed side.

Veteran Jesse Mogg will add plenty of experience to the Brumbies side, with the fullback named to a game-day squad for the first time this year.

“While we’ve made a lot of changes, mostly due to Wallaby rest, the message from us doesn’t change and we’re backing this group to go to Perth and execute their role for the team,” Larkham said.

“We know this is a big game for the Force, so we’ll have to match their energy, but everyone in this group knows what’s expected of them and our focus is on preparing well for Saturday night.”

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Brumbies: Blake Schoupp, Billy Pollard, Rhys Van Nek, Darcy Swain, To m Hooper, Charlie Cale, Rory Scott, Pete Sa mu, Ryan Lonergan (c), Jack Debreczeni, Corey Toole, Tamati Tua, Hudson Creighton, Ollie Sapsford, Andy Muirhead. Res: Connal McInerney, Fred Kaihea, Sefo Kautai, Jack Wright, Luke Reimer, Klayton Thorn, Noah Lolesio, Jesse Mogg.

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f
fl 3 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“Why do you downplay his later career, post 50? He won a treble less than two years ago, with a club who played more games and won more games than any other team that managed the same feat. His crowning achievement - by his own admission.”

He’s won many trebles in his career - why do you only care about one of them?

I think its unsurprising that he’d feel more emotional about his recent achievements, but its less clear why you do.


“Is it FA cups or League cups you’re forgetting in his English trophy haul? You haven’t made that clear…”

It actually was clear, if you knew the number he had won of each, but I was ignoring the league cup, because Germany and Spain only have one cup competition so it isn’t possible to compare league cup performance with City to his performance with Bayern and Barcelona.


“With Barcelona he won 14 trophies. With Bayern Munich he won 5 trophies. With City he has currently won 18 trophies…”

I can count, but clearly you can’t divide! He was at Barca for 4 years, so that’s 3.5 trophies per year. He was at Bayern for 3 years, and actually won 7 trophies so that’s 2.3 trophies per year. He has been at City for 8 completed seasons so that’s 2.25 trophies per year. If in his 9th season (this one) he wins both the FA cup and the FIFA club world cup that will take his total to 20 for an average of 2.22 trophies per year.


To be clear - you said that Pep had gotten better with age by every metric. In fact by most metrics he has gotten worse!

182 Go to comments
f
fl 6 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“He made history beyond the age of 50. History.”

He made history before the age of 50, why are you so keen to downplay Pep’s early career achievements? In 2009 he won the sextuple. No other manager in history had achieved that, and Pep hasn’t achieved it since, but here you are jizzing your pants over a couple of CL finals.


“If continuing to break records and achieve trophies isn't a metric for success”

Achieving trophies is a metric for success, and Pep wins fewer trophies as he gets older.


“He's still competing for a major trophy this year. Should he get it, it would be 8 consecutive seasons with a major trophy. Then the world club cup in the summer.”

You’re cherry picking some quite odd stats now. In Pep’s first 8 seasons as a manager he won 6 league titles, 2 CL titles, & 4 cup titles. In Pep’s last 8 seasons as a manager (including this one) he’s won 6 league titles, 1 CL title, & 2 (or possibly 3) cup titles. In his first 8 seasons he won the FIFA world club cup 3 times; in his last 8 seasons he’s won it 1 (or possibly soon to be 2) time(s). In his first 8 seasons he won the UEFA super cup 3 times; in his last 8 he won the UEFA super cup once. His record over the past 8 seasons has been amazing - but it is a step down from his record in his first 8 seasons, and winning the FA cup and FIFA club world cup this summer won’t change that.


Pep is still a brilliant manager. He will probably remain a brilliant manager for many years to come, but you seem to want to forget how incredible he was when he first broke through. To be clear - you said that Pep had gotten better with age by every metric. That was false!

182 Go to comments
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