Share

White smells another upset

Cape Town - Brumbies coach Jake White is confident his side can pull off a second upset in a row by beating the Chiefs in the Super Rugby final.

A late try from centre Tevita Kuridrani gave the Brumbies an upset 26-23 over the Bulls in Pretoria over the weekend. But White's team now have to fly back to Australasia for this Saturday's final and will be firm underdogs against a Chiefs side brimming with confidence following a 20-19 semi-final win over the Crusaders.

"Belief in something is a wonderful thing," White told the Beeld website. "I repeatedly said it last week. People follow sports teams because they want to be there the day that history is made.

"People go to World Cups to say they were there when it happened. People follow golf tournaments to say they were there when Louis Oosthuizen won the Open.

"Yes, nobody has won Super Rugby by travelling back and forth over the world. (But) who knows? Maybe it's another challenge that the guys will take with both hands," said White.

The Brumbies will play in the final for the first time since 2004, when they beat the Crusaders 47-38 in the final in Canberra.

"The most important thing is to mentally and physically recover as quickly as possible. Further, we just have to believe we can do it," said White.

The clash at Waikato Stadium kicks off at 09:35 (SA time) on Saturday.

Officials for the Super Rugby final:

Chiefs v Brumbies
Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New Zealand
Kick-off (19:35 local time/09:35 SA time)
Referee: Craig Joubert (RSA)
AR1: Chris Pollock (NZL)
AR2: Garratt Williamson (NZL)
TMO: Vinny Munro (NZL)

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE