Stephen Larkham Head Coach of the Brumbies Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The ACT Brumbies will need to buck 28 years of history if they are to keep the Australian flag flying in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-finals but coach Stephen Larkham is convinced their trip to Eden Park on Friday is no mission impossible.
The Canberra-based outfit have reached the last four for the third straight year but face a Blues side which has the one attribute Australian teams traditionally fear most - a big, physical pack.
The Blues pummelled the Brumbies into the turf in a 46-7 win in Auckland in April and have not lost once in their last 14 games at their Eden Park fortress, a ground also known as the graveyard of Australian rugby.
No Australian team have won a playoff on New Zealand soil since the competition started in 1996 but Larkham believes the Brumbies, who have won seven straight matches since that April drubbing, are peaking at the right time.
"We're on a bit of a roll in terms of our ability to win games," the former Wallabies flyhalf told reporters on Wednesday.
"We've been building all year to get our best performances in the finals and we're looking to take it a step further from last week. We want to make sure we're a little more clinical in all aspects of our game."
The Brumbies welcome back veteran prop James Slipper to a front row which struggled at scrum time against the Highlanders in the quarter-finals, and Larkham has stacked his bench with six forwards to counter the threat of the Blues pack.
The Blues, who have no shortage of quality backs to benefit from the pressure the forwards build, only missed out on top seeding on points difference and coach Vern Cotter made clear there would be few surprises in their game plan.
"We know what's served us well this season, strong ball carries, breakdown efficiency and astute decision making, nothing changes on Friday night," he said.
The Blues pack will be without injured captain Patrick Tuipulotu, while loose forward Akira Ioane was named in the side but will need to shake off a calf injury.
Caleb Clarke of the Blues dives down to score a try during the Super Rugby Pacific match against the Brumbies at Eden Park, 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The other semi-final pitches the top seeded Hurricanes against the Chiefs in the New Zealand capital on Saturday.
The Hurricanes are on a nine-match winning streak at home and will be looking to their supporters for an extra boost as they target a first title since their solitary 2016 triumph.
Craig Laidlaw's team have played some breathtaking rugby at home this season and a crowd in excess of 30,000 is expected at the harbourside stadium known locally as "The Cake Tin".
"The energy that our fans bring to our house gives the team that extra push, and we can feel the energy when we're out there," Laidlaw said.
The Hurricanes have lost prop Xavier Numia to injury but welcome back All Blacks front rower Tyrel Lomax and skipper Brad Shields to the pack.
More crucially, perhaps, fullback Ruben Love returns to a back three also featuring Salesi Rayasi and Josh Moorby that has lit up the competition at times this year.
The Chiefs, who lost both of their regular season meetings with the Hurricanes, have retained the same line-up that beat the Queensland Reds in the quarter-finals with Damian McKenzie again leading the backline from flyhalf.
-Reuters