ACT Brumbies 2023 – this team shot would look much better with a trophy in it. Photo: Brumbies Twitter.
So having long campaigned for ball-in-hand rugby, I am about to do the unthinkable and suggest that the Brumbies need to kick more to beat the Chiefs in this Saturday night’s semi-final in Hamilton.
The Queensland Reds provided a template for beating the Chiefs in the 25-22 victory in New Plymouth earlier in the season.
It was the Chiefs’ only loss of the season so far, with the Reds placing a high emphasis on field position.
Queensland adopted the same tactics last weekend. It almost paid off before the Chiefs scored a late try to seal the 29-20 victory.
The game itself featured an astounding 91 kicks in general play.
Astounding because the Brumbies this season average about 23 kicks in general play. Against the Chiefs in May at GIO Stadium, the Brumbies kicked the ball just 14 times, going down 31-21.
Brumbies assistant coach, Rod Seib, says the Brumbies must put boot to ball to beat the Chiefs. Photo: Tim Gavel.
Rod Seib, assistant coach of the Brumbies, agrees. “Against the Chiefs last time, we didn’t kick enough.”
However, he adds, “We did spend a lot of time in their A zone, and when you are in that part of the field, you aren’t going to be kicking an awful lot, and that’s probably our growth area. Whilst kicking is going to be incredibly important, we’ve got to make sure that when we get in the A zone, we are converting those opportunities.”
Furthermore, Rob believes, “There’s a lot to weigh up in terms of a game plan.”
In the Brumbies’ favour, if the semi-final develops into a game of ‘rugby tennis’ against the number one ranked kicking team in the competition, it has to be the form of Jack Debreczeni. His tactical kicking game has added a new dimension to the Brumbies this season.
But against the Chiefs, the Brumbies will need more than an astute tactical kicking game. They also need to ensure the set piece is on-song, use the scrum as an attacking weapon, match the Chiefs physically, and move them around with both hand and foot.
While the Reds may have provided the template for the current Brumbies team, they only have to look back three seasons to erase questions about their ability to beat the Chiefs in Hamilton.
ACT Brumbies team members during the team photoshoot 2023. Photo: Brumbies Twitter.
On that night in 2020, the Brumbies defeated the Chiefs 26-12 with a strong focus on an astute kicking game, a strong set piece, and physicality at the breakdown.
There are 10 players in the current Brumbies squad for this weekend’s semi-final who played in that memorable game in 2020. They will remember and bring the confidence of that win to this weekend’s clash.
The Brumbies take on the Chiefs in Waikato on Saturday, 17 June.
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