Brumbies hoping to avoid Tokyo shakes for finals charge
An earthquake rattled the stands in Tokyo last week but the ACT Brumbies are hoping they can avoid the shakes when they land in Japan to fight for their Super Rugby finals chances.
The Brumbies' clash against the Sunwolves on Saturday looms as a huge moment in the battle for Australia's guaranteed finals spot.
Joe Powell scored in the Brumbies win against the Sunwolves in Canberra. Picture: AAP
The Canberra side is one point ahead of the Melbourne Rebels in the Australian conference, but could drop to second place before they run on to Prince Chichibu Stadium if the Rebels beat the NSW Waratahs on Friday night.
A slip-up against the Sunwolves, who have won just two games this season and have never beaten the Brumbies, would be a costly blow with just three games left in the regular season.
That's why Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has put his team on notice to prepare for the unexpected, which is fitting after a 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook the stands in the second half of the Sunwolves loss to the Rebels last week.
"They're always tricky, especially up there in front of a good crowd in Tokyo. We'll give them full respect and make sure we prepare well," McKellar said.
"Our focus has always been what's important next. That approach has worked well for us. There's no talk about what's happening down the track, currently it's about travelling well to Tokyo and being smart with our choices.
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"They're a dangerous side. The scoreline against the Rebels last weekend ... the common denominator is that we know they'll be dangerous."
McKellar is expected to make minimal changes to the Brumbies side which beat the Pretoria Bulls last week. Lachlan McCaffrey is back in selection contention after recovering from a medial ligament strain, giving the back row an extra boost after David Pocock retired earlier this week.
The Brumbies will be aiming to secure four wins in a row for the first time since 2016 after finding form at the right time of the year.
Their final three games of the regular season will be against the Sunwolves, the Waratahs and the Queensland Reds and winning all three would guarantee them a play-off spot.
The good news is the Brumbies have fulfilled their Wallabies resting requirements this year, meaning all players will be available for the final stretch of games.
The Waratahs, however, need to find time to give Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley, Michael Hooper, Rob Simmons and Sekope Kepu time off in the closing stages of the regular season.
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson said he wanted his key players on the field against the Rebels and the Brumbies, meaning he would have to rest all of his guns in the last round. "They're derby games that are essentially Australian trials in my eyes," Gibson said.
"These guys are not only playing hard for the Waratahs but they are also putting their hands up for further selection."
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Saturday: Japan Sunwolves v ACT Brumbies at Prince Chichibu Stadium, 3.15pm.