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Brumbies to attack Bulls without Pollard

3 minute read

The Brumbies and Bulls have completely different game plans, with the former attempting just three penalty goals this season and the latter lining up 42.

DAN MCKELLAR, head coach of the Brumbies, looks on ahead of the Super Rugby match between the Highlanders and the Brumbies at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand.
DAN MCKELLAR, head coach of the Brumbies, looks on ahead of the Super Rugby match between the Highlanders and the Brumbies at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand. Picture: Dianne Manson/Getty Images

The Brumbies will stick to their bold attacking strategy when they host the Bulls in a Super Rugby cross-conference clash on Friday.

The teams are top of their respective conferences and the Brumbies can leapfrog the Bulls into second spot on the overall ladder, with three games left to play.

Bulls captain and five-eighth Handre Pollard has been ruled out with a calf injury in a huge loss for the South African side.

The Springboks' super boot has been responsible for more than half the Bulls points this season was crucial in beating the Melbourne Rebels last weekend.

Pollard's 36 penalty goals this season is double the next best in Super Rugby and his 42 attempts dwarfs Brumbies kicker Christian Lealiifano's three.

The disparity is due to the Brumbies desire to use their maul as an attacking weapon from close range, a ploy that has paid dividends with hooker Folau Fainga'a leading the competition's try scoring stats with 10.

Lealiifano acknowledged they'll have to watch their discipline against team so reliant on kicking penalties, but said they'll also be sticking with their successful game plan.

"The way the games have worked for us this year we've felt confident and had the momentum to be able to push for tries," Lealiifano said.

"I'm confident in our game at the moment and where it's heading that we can get off to a good start against the Bulls then limit their opportunities.

"They're a real physical team playing with some real tempo and brutality. We just have to match that physically.

"I'm looking forward to seeing our forward pack getting challenged and the battle there, they've been a strength of ours all season."

The Brumbies are gunning for a sixth straight win at home and prop Scott Sio said the backs will also have to step up.

"South African sides pride themselves on set piece, maul, scrum, lineout and they've been very good at that for a number of years now, but I think the evolution of their game has come from the interplay between the backs and forwards," Sio said.

"Unfortunately Handre Pollard is not playing but they've got some guys with wicked feet and can really turn you around so that's what we've also go to be wary of.

"It's not a case of just being up for it at set piece, we've got to be up for it right across the board."

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