Brumbies focus on fundamentals
The Brumbies will hope to have fixed the 'fundamentals' in their game when they head to Perth to take on the Western Force in an all-Australian Super Rugby derby on Saturday.
After a disappointing 17-27 loss to the Reds last Saturday, the Brumbies will be desperate to increase the tempo to return home five competition points richer.
In 2013 the Force proved a major stumbling block for the Brumbies, taking them down in the corresponding Perth encounter – which ultimately cost the visitors a top-two finish.
Brumbies wing Henry Speight said the team would need to improve some of the fundamentals to come away from the Perth match with a win.
"It was good to me to get my hands on the ball in that first half, but I think I need to build on that this week, get more touches and get myself over the gain line," Speight said.
"I think as a collective that's what we need to do as a team.
"I don't think we were clinical enough in our A zone and we didn't finish off any of our chances.
"We made some good progress, there were some nice line-breaks and we were building pressure, but around the breakdown we didn't show enough to be dominant.
"Particularly in that A zone we need to be making a bigger impact and taking our chances."
During the second half of last week's match the Brumbies enjoyed well over half of the overall possession and a wealth of field position but couldn't quite finish the Reds off.
Flank Lochie McCaffrey, who returns to Perth for his first match against his former side, said those problems would need to be rectified if the Brumbies were to return with a win.
"I'm thoroughly looking forward to this week, to be putting in a bigger effort and hopefully we'll be coming home with a win," McCaffrey said.
"We definitely didn't play as well as we could have on Saturday. We created a lot of opportunities and our structures were working well but those last passes needed to be better, we were a bit rusty out there and didn't finish off those opportunities.
"That's what we'll be looking to fix this weekend in Perth. To show a bit more intensity and to take advantage of the opportunities we can create."
The Brumbies leave for Perth on Thursday following their morning session at the University of Canberra.
Source: Brumbies Media Unit
