The ACT Brumbies’ form will be under scrutiny in their home match with Otago Highlanders in Sydney on Friday to see if the shock sacking of coach David Nucifora has undermined their chances of lifting the Super 12.
The Brumbies, leading the southern-hemisphere provincial series by six points with five weeks to the semifinals, stunned the rugby world on Wednesday when they announced Nucifora would not be reappointed next season.
There are reports that player power was behind the decision, which could torpedo the Brumbies’ chances of playing off for this season’s championship given the uncertainty over team resolve under Nucifora, who some claim is too autocratic.
In another surprise, Wallaby captain George Gregan was relegated on Thursday to the reserves’ bench for the Highlanders’ game, allowing understudy Matt Henjak more game time.
Nucifora played down the ramifications, saying: ”George has been very supportive of the decision to give Matt an opportunity and has also been a big support in bringing him through this season.
”We’re in a great position where we can give guys like Matt an opportunity and still have the experience of someone like George on the sideline.”
Nucifora was emotional as he read a prepared statement to the media on Wednesday with the Brumbies’ board saying that another coach was needed.
Whether the ructions will affect the team’s performance will become apparent on Friday against the ninth-placed Highlanders, who have yet to win away from home this season and have appeared vulnerable at home.
The Highlanders have won four of eight games against the Brumbies, including their first win in Canberra (25-18) two years ago.
”They’re the favourites,” coach Greg Cooper said of the Brumbies. ”We’ve gone out in every game and shown we can be competitive so we have to go to Canberra with a belief. It’s just a matter of being accurate for longer periods, hopefully for 80 minutes.”
Four-time champions Canterbury Crusaders, into second spot after a commanding win over the Brumbies last weekend, begin their South African leg of matches with a Saturday showdown with fourth-placed Coastal Sharks in Durban.
The Sharks have showed they are a realistic title chance with two fighting victories over the Highlanders and Wellington Hurricanes in New Zealand and they have all their remaining five matches at home.
”On Saturday, we will have a far clearer idea of our capabilities,” coach Kevin Putt said. ”The Crusaders are the yardstick of the competition. They have been the top team for so long so this weekend we will see exactly where we are.”
With four wins from six matches, the Sharks are the best-performing team from the Republic.
Signs are encouraging for another South African outfit, the third-placed Western Stormers, who embark on their Australasian tour with a Saturday match against the injury-ravaged Queensland Reds in Brisbane.
The 11th-placed Reds are all but out of finals’ contention, but the Stormers have only won two matches out of eight on their past two trips to Australia and New Zealand, so the game may be a challenging one.
The fifth-placed Northern Bulls, one point out of the top four, are also on tour and have a poor away record to overcome against the struggling Auckland Blues, last year’s champions, in Albany on Friday.
In Super 12 the Bulls have won just twice in Australasia, setting all sorts of dubious records.
Coach Rudy Joubert believes the Bulls have conquered the psychological trauma which has bedevilled their overseas schedules and wants two more victories on this trip to build on the rare win the team claimed last season against the Hurricanes.
The Bulls earned three wins and a draw in South Africa this year.
Victory against the Waratahs last week has boosted the Blues’ dwindling confidence.
”Sometimes I feel these guys have just tried to force things, to try too hard or go the extra yard,” said assistant coach Bruce Robertson. ”When we were patient we do well.”
The return of All Blacks flyhalf Carlos Spencer, a veteran of about 90 Super 12 contests, has boosted Auckland.
The eighth-placed Waikato Chiefs have a great chance to force their way into the top four in the next two weeks if they can pick up at least one win in South Africa and add some more bonus points.
The Chiefs take on the win-less Golden Cats in Johannesburg on Saturday, while the Waratahs and Hurricanes have a bye. — Sapa-AFP