STRONG RUNNERS SIDE TO TACKLE WARATAHS ‘A’

Thu, Mar 14, 2019, 3:00 AM
Brumbies.rugby
by Brumbies.rugby
The Brumbies Runners have been in superb form this season, beating Auckland and Melbourne before Friday's clash.
The Brumbies Runners have been in superb form this season, beating Auckland and Melbourne before Friday's clash.

The Brumbies Runners have selected a strong side to take on the Waratahs A' in what will be the appetiser for the Brumbies Round Five Clash against the Waratahs at GIO Stadium on Friday night. 

Headlining the selection is a Brumbies backline that wouldn’t look out of place in Super Rugby, with five of the seven named having seen bulk action with the first team this season. 

That stacked set of pacemen out wide will look to play off the quality platform that will be set by the Runners pack, which sees Angus Wagner get a maiden start in 2019, with Tom Ross selected for higher honours this week. 

Wagner will form a dynamic looking front-row trio with Vunipola Fifita and Connal McInerney. Behind them, Darcy Swain and Blake Enever partner in the second row, looking to stake a claim for more game time in the rounds to come. In the backrow, teenage star Rory Scott starts at blindside alongside Jack Farrell who has been very impressive from openside in his first two games with the Runners.

Jahrome Brown is another who has been in fantastic form in 2019, his brutal ball carrying and eye for a pilfer proving very valuable against Auckland and Melbourne. 

Moving to that exciting Brumbies backline, Matt Lucas partners Wharenui Hawera at halfback who will look to pull the strings and release a fully loaded cache of Brumbies attacking weapons outside. 

Combining in the centres are jet-heeled league convert, Tom Wright and Len Ikitau, who has been quietly going about his work with the Runners, a player with supreme footwork and defensive instincts. 

On the flanks, Andy Muirhead and Chance Peni will be hoping to earn their spot back in the Brumbies 23 for next week with big performances, having been excellent in spells this season.

Bayley Kuenzle shows his versatility by switching to fullback for this week having put in two magnificent performances in the Runners two wins in 2019. Uni-Norths Owls pair Isileli Fa and Max Bode are the prop finishers, with Wests TP Luteru providing excellent punch as the hooker replacement. 

Tom Hooper was the best on ground for the Brumbies Academy in their recent win over Melbourne and will cover lock with Queanbeyan youngster Wyll Holland an aggressive option at backrow off the bench. 

Fellow Whites player Mitch Douch is the scrumhalf reserve, while the impressive Billy Carberry will likely cover the centres, with Kuenzle the likely candidates to fill Hawera’s flyhalf boots should it be required. 

Rounding out the Runners reserves are Lincoln Smith and Brendan Jimenez, who scored four tries in one game for the Australian Schoolboys earlier this year.
 

TEAM

1. Vunipola Fifita
2. Connal McInerney
3. Angus Wagner
4. Darcy Swain
5. Blake Enever
6. Rory Scott
7. Jack Farrell
8. Jahrome Brown
9. Matt Lucas
10. Wharenui Hawera
11. Andy Muirhead
12. Tom Wright
13. Len Ikitau
14. Chance Peni
15. Bayley Kuenzle

REPLACEMENTS

16. TP Luteru
17. Isileli Fa
18. Max Bode
19. Tom Hooper
20. Ben Love
21. Wyll Holland
22. Mitchell Douch
23. Billy Carberry
24. Lincoln Smith
25. Brendan Jimenez

MATCH DETAILS

Friday 15 March 2019
Plus500 Brumbies v Waratahs
(GIO Stadium, Canberra, 19:45)

PRE-MATCH

Friday 15 March 2019
Brumbies Runners v Waratahs ‘A’
(GIO Stadium, Canberra, 17:05)
Gates Open: 16:45
Tickets: www.ticketek.com.au

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