Round 6: Brumbies v Stormers

[Dumbo]

Brumbies take on the rampant Stormers in Canberra.
Last week the Stormers destroyed the Hurricanes while the Brumbies got a good old fashioned flogging by the Bulls.
The big news is that it looks like inspirational center Stirling Mortlock is scheduled to return for this game.
And he is very much needed as the Brumbies are a hard time of it (can’t understand why, they have the names… someone just needs to tell them that the try line is THAT WAY…).

In this one I don’t expect to see the Brumbies make the mistakes the Canes did (i.e. passing the ball to the opposition for TWO run away tries) so the Stormers will have to work a little harder to win this one.

Who’s going to win? Hard to say really… the Brumbies have been scoring low totals and the Stormers are up and down like a yoyo.

For mine I’m going with the Brumbies due to the return of Stirling, I know it’s only one player but at least he knows where the try line is.

 

[Juggernaut]

What this years tournament has taught me is that home ground advantage doesnt count anymore. It has also taught me that no team is to be greatly underestimated.

Last week, I thought (make that everyone thought) the Canes were gonna destroy the Stormers but it was the other way round. The Bulls have never won at Canberra but they did last week, and the Lions have won two in a row in Australia. Amazing.

So, for this one I will have to go for a Stormers win.

The Brumbies may be at home but they dont have the confidence to back themselves. Mortlock may bring that belief back or maybe not. Their scrum was greatly tested along with the lineouts. It's a massive ask on them.

Stormers are on a high after their morale-boosting win against the Canes so will look to play the same sort of freestyle running-rugby this week. I expect Barry to give Fairbanks a hard time too.


Stormers by 10.

 

[Dumbo]

Well said, hard to pick anything this year...

I'll still stick with Mortlock opening them up

 

[Juggernaut]

What I forgot to add is that home ground advantage never did count for the Force.

 

[Dumbo]

Yup, still think though there would have been a rocket put under the players for their effort last week.
Amazing isn't it... Brumbies have some BIG names playing out there and they still can't hang it together.

 

[Dumbo]

STORMERS:
15 Gio Aplon, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Corne Uys, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Bolla Conradie; 8 Justin Melck, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Luke Watson ©, 5 Gerrie Britz, 4 Andries Bekker, 3 Eddie Andrews, 2 Schalk Britz, 1 JD Moller. Reserves: 16 Huia Edwards, 17 Schalk Ferreria, 18 Ross Skeate, 19 Francois van der Merwe, 20 JP Joubert, 21 Naas Oliver, 22 Egon Seconds.

Hows Luke Watson's form this year... awesome

 

[dobrien7]

Just carrying on from last season, a green jersey awaits him at the world cup maybe?

Oh, Stormers by the way.

 

[Dumbo]

If he's not i then the Saffa's need a serious reality check.
For mine though I'll stick with the Brumbimboes

 

[BokMagic]

No green jersey will be awaiting Lucky Luke this year, what with the way he shouted his mouth off at the Boks as a team last season- I for one wouldn`t want a guy playing next to me who thinks I`m shite, and that`s what he basically came out and said last season about the entire Bok team.

Anyway, yes his form`s been impressive, and after last week`s performance, which was hopefully a turning point for the Stormers, anything can happen this week. Even the much-maligned Brumbies can suddenly click into gear, although they`ve done nothing to suggest so during the last 5 weeks.

I`ll stick my neck out and go with the heart- Stormers to take a close one.

 

[wygy]

I got the brumbies...... by a whisker

 

[The TRUTH]

1 John Ulugia
2 Jeremy Paul
3 Guy Shepherdson
4 Adam Wallace-Harrison
5 Mark Chisholm
6 Julian Salvi
7 George Smith
8 Stephen Hoiles

9 George Gregan
10 Julian Huxley
11 Mark Gerrard
12 Gene Fairbanks
13 Stirling Mortlock ©
14 Clyde Rathbone
15 Adam Ashley-Cooper

16 Saia Faingaa
17 Nic Henderson
18 Peter Kimlin
19 Jone Tawake
20 Patrick Phibbs
21 Anthony Faingaa
22 Francis Fainifo

A couple of future Superstars highlighted there, keep an eye on them.

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The more i think about this game, the more confident i feel that the Brumbies will have this Stormers team covered in most areas....

I mean, i just cant see De Dipshit Barry and JDV having any impact against the best defensive midfield combo in world rugby( thats right i said it ,the Fairbanks and Mortlock combo is impenetrable!)... and the Stormer speed merchants will have a very tough time getting around the likes of Rattlebones and Gerrard out wide.

The problem with the Brumbies attack this year has been their number of handling errors (they lead the league in this area).I'm sure Fish has got the boys focusing on the basics this week in order to rectify this problem.

I see the Stormers best chance of winning is to try and adopt a similar gameplan to that of the Bulls/Lions - Basically, do F-all and wait for the dodgy NZ ref to blow his whistle.... then take the shot at goal from anywhere within 60m. But,to the Stomers credit they seem very willing to throw it around this year ,so *fingers crossed*, we shouldn't see any of that Bull-esque shizenhouse rugby in Canberra tomorrow.(yes im still bitter about last week)

Both back-rows have looked very good this year, as mentioned earlier, Watson has been a standout last few weeks and the battle between Smith & Burger should be worth the price of admission alone.

Brumbies scrum surprised everyone last week when they pushed the Bulls around on quite a few occasions. The way the Stormers front row has gone so far this year, they could be in for a tough night*.....( *Although it must be said that the only player remaining from the Brumbies FR that started last week, is JP )

Chisolm has been impressive this year, but without Campbell he'll have his work cut out trying to stop the man mountain that is Andries Bekker!(seriously,what a revelation this bloke has been, must be a shoe in for a Bok jersey this year).


The Bulls had to string together an enormous amount of tackles to hold off a sloppy Brumbies last week (211 to be exact ), are the Stormers capable of the same?... i don't think so......

Brumbies by 15-20








I'd also like to state that if i see De Wet Barry even attempt to go high on Stirlo once during this match, i will personally fly to the middle east to have a giant Fatwa placed on his ulgly ass. :rahh:

 

[Dumbo]

What is it about Mortlocks head... seems to be where he gets tackled the most.
The Brumbies can win this, they just have to play to win.
For the Stormers if their heads in the right place then it will be close. We just seem to see teams rock up on the day looking like their having a walk in the park.

 

[The TRUTH]

What is it about Mortlocks head... seems to be where he gets tackled the most.[/b]

Just one of those heads, he's got punch appeal if you know what i mean.

Hopefully Barry will be too preoccupied chasing Rathbone around with a crowbar (as he usualy does) and leaves poor Stirlo alone..... one more head shot could end his career.

 

[Dumbo]

Will be interesting as you know he'll be running straight... would like to see DWB get a bit of a touch up in the one. Has been a long time coming.

 

[The TRUTH]

Will be interesting as you know he'll be running straight... would like to see DWB get a bit of a touch up in the one. Has been a long time coming.
[/b]

I've quit wishing harm apon that bloke....

Remember the last time i did?... before the World XV v Springbok match

Well, he got KTFO! by Andy Farrell in the first minute of the game and had to strechered off..... i actually felt sorry for the guy :huh: .

 

[Juggernaut]

Nah! De Wet Barry played awesomely against the Canes. He has never toned down his tackling and I dont think he ever will, so expect to see Fairbanks get roughed up.

Stormers by 10.

 

[Boggle]

I'm also going with the heart on this one, Stormers by a close one.

Also don't be surprised to see Barry have a cracking Super 14 this year

 

[redunderthebed]

Im feeling all emo about this match i hope they win but i dont hold out much hope.

 

[redunderthebed]

14-3 with 9 minutes in the first half to go,iam very happy. :cheers:

Go brumbies. :bana:

 

[redunderthebed]

26-6 to the brumbies

three tries with mortlock,chisholm and Ashley-cooper.

One more try boys and then we get the bonus point!