Highlanders v Brumbies

[Fushitsusha]

The opening match of the 2009 Super 14 is just over a couple of days away...

Here is the Brumbies team named to play the Highlanders...


1. Nic Henderson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Guy Shepherson
4. Ben Hand
5. Mark Chisholm
6. Julian Salvi
7. George Smith
8. Stephen Hoiles ©
9. Patrick Phibbs
10. Christian Lealiifano
11. Francis Fainifo
12. Stirling Mortlock
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Clyde Rathbone
15. Mark Gerrard

Reserves
16. John Ulugia
17. Ben Alexander
18. Sitaleki Timani
19. Peter Kimlin
20. Joshua Holmes
21. Tyrone Smith
22. Matt Toomua


Some interesting selections there with Alexander, Kimlin and Holmes all on the bench. It does make for a strong bench though. I also believe that Mitchell Chapman and Alfi Mafi weren't considered due to injury.

Brumbies should easily take this one... 'should' being the operative word. There's a lot of depth, and a lot of competition for spots in the Brumbies' pack this year so none of these guys can afford to take it easy.

Hopefully the Mortlock/Ashley-Cooper centre parntership fires. It's what I'd like to see for the Wallabies.

 

[Fushitsusha]

Highlanders team to play the Brumbies...

1. Jamie Mackintosh
2. David Hall
3. Clint Newland
4. Josh Bekhuis
5. Hayden Triggs
6. Adam Thomson
7. Alando Soakai
8. Steven Setephano
9. Jimmy Cowan ©
10. Daniel Bowden
11. Fetu'u Vainikolo
12. Johnny Leota/Jayden Hayward
13. Jason Shoemark
14. Ben Smith
15. Israel Dagg

Reserves:

Jason Rutledge, Chris King, George Naoupu, Tim Boys, Sean Romans, Jayden Hayward/Brett Mather, Kenny Lynn.

 

[ChiefsFan]

So Berquist is injured I presume?

 

[munross]

Great start by the Highlanders!Two tries by them in 11mins.Bowden misses the 2nd conversion.

12 - 0 to the Highlanders after 12mins

 

[munross]

Cowan is off with an injury,big blow for the Highlander,he looked sharp...

 

[munross]

Dan Bowden with a great chip kick and a great solo effort try!Highlanders are really playing well

19 - 0 to the Highlanders after 21mins.

Brumbies gets a penalty 10m from the line,goes for touch and throws away a sure 3points

 

[munross]

Mortlock scores a great try for the Brumbies after a nice set move from a scrum 5m out.

19 - 7 after 27mins

 

[melon]

ARGGHHH I put a bit of moolah on the Brumbies to win...grrrr.... I put 70 on the Blues to beat the Force by 13+ @$4.25....they better pull through. Shitty Brumbies. Still plenty of time left though.

 

[ChiefsFan]

Wowza, 70 on the Blues?

 

[munross]

You can just not keep Mortlock out of the game,another great try by the big fella!

Gerrard with the penalty after the missed conversion.

19 - 18 to the Highlanders after 46mins

 

[munross]

Brumbies looking to be in the drivers seat now,try for Ashley-Cooper.

25 - 19 to the Brumbies after 50mins

 

[Woldog]

Go Brumbies, I've tipped them in every comp and if they let me down in the Investec comp I'll be sad.

 

[Woldog]

30 - 19 Brumbies.

 

[munross]

What a great game of rugby to start the Super14.Well done Brumbies

Final score: 33 - 31 to the Brumbies

 

[riders of the storm]

What an incredible opening to the Super 14.

Amazing match. Highlanders led 19-0 but just couldn't hold on.

The Highlanders eventually stole the lead back after the Brumbies got up 30-19 with two forward drives over the line to lead by 31-30.

The Brumbies kicked off deep and the Highlanders cleared about 10 metres. Lealiifano then lands a dropgoal and still it wasn't over as the Highlanders got the ball back through a series of free-kicks. The Brumbies counter-rucked the ball brilliantly and Gerrard booted it into touch. 33-31 the final score.

 

[Woldog]

I wish it had stayed at 30 - 19 because then I would have been only 1 point out on my Investec Super 14 tipping now I'm like 10 out.

 

[Fushitsusha]

The Brumbies reminded me of the Wallabies of 2007 when they were 19-0 down early on... not to put down the Highlanders but they came from turnover breaks and I felt that the Brumbies would hit back...

I still have mixed emotions about the win... the Brumbies looked like they were trying on some new moves early on which didn't work out, and didn't seem to click until 30 minutes in...

Thankfully, once guys like Ashley-Cooper and Mortlock started getting the ball it was on... as well as Smith getting some marvelous turnovers... and boy was Moore a great buy...

The Brumbies of last year wouldn't have won that game... and our lineout and scrum is already better than last year... there was some good pressure on the Highlanders ball...

And Lealiifano was great in attack... I hope he keeps developing... he is really starting to see the breaks in defence....

Anyways, the Brumbies got complacent after it was 30-19 and I just wanted another try to seal the win... they're going to have to learn not to take it easy once they get ahead...

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see Timani or Kimlin in action... next week... next week... and Rathbone didn't seem to do much... he might find himself on the bench for Mafi once he gets fit...

Oh, I'm rather drunk too... so I might look back at this post later and regret things.... we'll see...

 

[candybum]

Mortlock is the man! he runs with up the nuts! (refering to his first try esp) lol

 

[Woldog]

We need to make Mortlock young again, how old is he? 21? 22?

 

[Flux]

Typical Highlanders. Get themselves into a winning position then somehow find a way to blow it. If they ever get over this stage of their game then they might one day become ***le contenders.