Regardless of their superior place on the ladder, the ACT Brumbies are cautious of a wounded Melbourne Rebels who’ve the whole lot to play for with a maiden finals berth on the road.
The sixth-placed Rebels are in a robust place to qualify for the primary Tremendous Rugby Pacific finals marketing campaign within the membership’s 14-year historical past.
Reaching the knockouts could be a raise for the Rebels’ long-suffering followers, with the membership in administration and at actual threat of folding on the finish of the season.
However they nonetheless require one win from their final two video games to stitch up the spot, together with a frightening round-14 away journey to the third-placed Brumbies on Friday night time.
Brumbies lock Nick Frost is just not taking the embattled Rebels frivolously.
“It’s a crew that we’ve historically all the time had good video games towards, and we’ve struggled towards,” he mentioned.
“They’re a giant, bodily pack and so they’ve acquired good backline gamers.
“They’ll be ripping into us. That’s what we wish. You need these good video games on the finish of the 12 months. You don’t actually need a simple run.”
Winger Ollie Sapsford, who just lately secured his future with the Brumbies till the top of 2026, expects the Rebels may have a degree to show.
“It’d be tremendous robust for them,” he mentioned.
“I really feel actually sorry for the boys down there. Plenty of them most likely don’t know in the event that they’ve acquired jobs subsequent 12 months.”
Historical past is within the Brumbies’ favour. The Canberra-based aspect have received 4 of their final 5 encounters with the Rebels, and 13 of twenty-two in complete.
With a top-two spot nonetheless not out of the equation for his aspect, Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is aware of the significance of a bonus level towards the Rebels – however isn’t getting forward of himself.
“The highest two groups, the Blues and the Hurricanes, do have some difficult video games developing however these outcomes are out of our management,” he mentioned.
“The one factor we are able to do is attempt to get a efficiency on the weekend.
“The primary precedence is to get a win. If we’re in a state of affairs the place the sport is comfortably received throughout the final 10 minutes, then we’ll be speaking about these situations.”
Larkham has made three modifications from the Brumbies’ chaotic last-minute penalty-try win over the Crusaders final trip.
Hooker Billy Pollard (knee) and winger Corey Toole (ankle) return to the beginning line-up from harm, whereas lock Tom Hooper has been promoted from the bench.
Rebels coach Kevin Foote shall be with out Wallabies five-eighth Carter Gordon, who has been dominated out with concussion signs.
Foote was pleased to welcome again Andrew Kellaway, who missed the aspect’s slender loss to the Chiefs as he recuperated from a head knock of his personal.
Kellaway’s battle with Brumbies ace Tom Wright, as they every attempt to tie down the Wallabies fullback jersey, is prone to be a spotlight.
“I’ve a fantastic appreciation for his recreation sense and the way he manages the sport,” Foote mentioned of Kellaway.
