Milestones aplenty as Brumbies name Semi Final side
Brumbies Pathways products Len Ikitau, Connal McInerney and Noah Lolesio will bring up 50 games for the club in the final-four clash, McInerney becoming the 12th homegrown Brumby to reach the significant milestone.
McInerney and Lolesio will be part of the Brumbies finishing group, with Jack Debreczeni and captain Nic White continuing as the starting halves combination.
James Slipper, Lachlan Lonergan and Sefo Kautai will form the front row with Nick Frost and Cadeyrn Neville starting at lock.
Tom Hooper starts at blindside flanker with Pete Samu shifting to openside and Rob Valetini wearing eight.
Tamati Tua starts at 12 after re-signing with the club earlier this week, with Ikitau at 13.
Ollie Sapsford has also committed to the Brumbies for next season and retains his spot on the left wing, with Corey Toole back in the Brumbies gameday squad.
Andy Muirhead and Tom Wright complete the back three with Sapsford.
McInerney, Blake Schoupp and Rhys Van Nek are the finishing front row, with Darcy Swain and Luke Reimer as important figures on the bench.
Lolesio will partner Ryan Lonergan as the finishing halves, with Toole wearing jersey 23.
Safeguard Global ACT Brumbies head coach, Stephen Larkham said: "We've backed our continuity and combinations this week and we're going across to New Zealand full of energy and excitement for this challenge."
SAFEGUARD GLOBAL ACT BRUMBIES SEMI FINAL TEAM
1. James Slipper, Queanbeyan Whites
2. Lachlan Lonergan, Tuggeranong Vikings
3. Sefo Kautai, Canberra Royals
4. Nick Frost, Queanbeyan Whites
5. Cadeyrn Neville, Uni-Norths Owls
6. Tom Hooper, Tuggeranong Vikings
7. Pete Samu, Gungahlin Eagles
8. Rob Valetini, Western District Lions
9. Nic White (C), Tuggeranong Vikings
10. Jack Debreczeni, Uni-Norths Owls
11. Ollie Sapsford, Uni-Norths Owls
12. Tamati Tua, Queanbeyan Whites
13. Len Ikitau, Tuggeranong Vikings *
14. Andy Muirhead, Canberra Royals
15. Tom Wright, Western District Lions
REPLACEMENTS
16. Connal McInerney, Canberra Royals *
17. Blake Schoupp, Gungahlin Eagles
18. Rhys Van Nek, Uni-Norths Owls
19. Darcy Swain, Tuggeranong Vikings
20. Luke Reimer, Western Districts Lions
21. Ryan Lonergan, Tuggeranong Vikings *
22. Noah Lolesio, Tuggeranong Vikings
23. Corey Toole, Gungahlin Eagles
Latest Comments
All of these media pundits always miss the obvious whenever they analyse what is ailing or assisting the game. Rugby always has contentious points for debate when picking apart individual games and finding fault with itself. All this focus and scrutiny on “speeding up the game”, “high ball in play” etc is all contextual to the fan. As a tv viewer, if you’re absorbed into a game, regardless if your team is playing or not, more ball in play time and action are all byproducts of the contest. A good contest subliminally affects your memory in selectively remembering all the good aspects. A poor contest and your brain has switched off because its a blowout and the result is never in doubt or it’s a real chore to watch and remain engaged throughout. The URC, Top 14 and English premiership are all competitions that feel like there’s real jeopardy each week. The dominance of Super rugby by NZ teams was unhealthy from a sustainable interest perspective. You can’t fault those teams or the players, but the lack of competitions won by SA and Australian teams long term was always going to test the faith and patience of die-hard and casual fans from those regions. SANZAR took their eye off the fans and fans voted with their feet and subscriptions. They were so concerned about expanding their product they forgot the golden rule about broadcasting live sport. Viewers tune in more when there’s an atmosphere and a true contest. You need to fill stadiums to create one, host unions need to do more to service ticket buyers, and this year proves the other, there’s more interest in Super rugby this year only because more games are competitive with less foregone conclusions. All these micro statistics bandied about, only interest the bean counters and trainspotters.
Go to commentsIt’s a good, timely wake up call for NZ Rugby (seem to be a few of them lately!) - sort out the bureaucratic nonsense at board level. We can’t expect to stay the number one option without keeping fans/players engaged. We’ve obviously been bleeding players to league for years but can’t let the floodgates open (although I think this headline is hyperbolic as it’s a result of a recent Warriors pathways system where they are tracking things more closely) Understand the need to focus boys on rugby if they’re at a proud rugby school too, don’t think it’s harsh at all re Barakat in Hamilton. Reward the committed players with squad positions. An elite 1st XV system in NZ has done more for league than they even realise, think it’s good to protect our game further.
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