Brumbies expect Test-like atmosphere

Cape Town - The Brumbies are preparing for an intense physical battle when they tackle the Stormers in a Super Rugby qualifier at Newlands on Saturday (17:05 kick-off).

The men from Canberra went down 25-24 at Newlands last month and are expecting a similar, Test-like, battle this time round.

"It was Test match intensity and that's what's required to beat the Stormers," coach Stephen Larkham told the Brumbies’ official website.

"They've got a very big forward pack so the biggest lesson for us is understanding that physicality will be a massive part of this game."

Larkham on Thursday named an unchanged line-up to the side that went down 37-24 to the Crusaders in Canberra last week.

David Pocock has been named at flank despite leaving the field with concussion in the loss to the Crusaders at GIO Stadium.

 “He’s on track to play,” said Larkham.

“But every day he’s got to tick a box, so he could fall back a day and miss the game.”

The match against the Stormers would be Pocock’s first ever Super Rugby finals appearance. In 2013 in his first season with the Brumbies, Pocock missed the side’s run to the final following a season-ending knee injury.

Also under an injury cloud for the Brumbies is Matt Toomua who has been named as a reserve. Last week the 24-year-old played 28 minutes from the bench in just his second game in eight matches following two separate ankle injuries.

“Coming back from a syndesmosis... everything is cleared medically, it’s just whether he feels good, which I suspect he will," said Larkham said.

Les Makin and Nigel Ah Wong have been named on an extended bench after travelling to South Africa with the squad.

Teams:

Stormers:

15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Juan de Jongh (captain), 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Substitutes: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Ali Vermaak, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Michael Rhodes, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Jaco Taute

Brumbies:

15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Robbie Coleman, 11 Joe Tomane, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Nic White, 8 Ita Vaea, 7 David Pocock, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Blake Enever, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 Scott Sio

Substitutes (from): 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Jarrad Butler, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Matt Toomua, 23 James Dargaville, 24 Les Makin, 25 Nigel Ah Wong