The ACT Brumbies have copped a big blow with Noah Lolesio ruled out of Saturday’s clash with the Western Force in Canberra. While the Brums will be without their pivotal playmaker for the Aussie derby, coach Simon Cron doesn’t expect any less from the Force’s opponents.
Coach Stephen Larkham has selected Declan Meredith to start in the Brumbies’ No. 10 jersey for the first time in Lolesio’s absence, while six Wallabies have been named to return after missing last weekend’s thrilling win over the Fijian Drua in Suva.
James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Nick Frost, Charlie Cale, Len Ikitau and Tom Wright headline an already impressive Brumbies side that’s searching for their second win from as many matches to start the new Super Rugby Pacific season.
As for the Western Force, they’re also looking to keep their unbeaten start to the campaign alive after a dramatic win over Moana Pasifika in Perth. Ben Donaldson raced about 70 metres to score a try in the final play, with the conversion handing them a one-point win.
With the NSW Waratahs also beating the Highlanders and the Queensland Reds on a bye, no Australian side has lost a match this season at the time of writing, but a derby in round two means a team will lose unbeaten status, even if it’s decided in Super Point.
“I think across the park they’ve got talent. You’ve got [Ollie] Sapsford who’s going to run it hard, you’ve got Corey Toole, you’ve got boys on the wings [Tom] Wrighty, you’ve got amazing players,” Cron told reporters after being asked about Lolesio’s absence.
“Noah’s obviously a real talent but everything in behind him is too.
“We all know the Brumbies have historically been one of the best teams in Super Rugby, and naturally in Australia, so they bring with them a strong tight five forward pack, some explosively fast backs and some real experience,” he said earlier.
“Something for us to look forward to.”
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For the Western Force, they’ll consider themselves fortunate to have won last weekend, with Dylan Pietsch and Donaldson scoring a try each inside the final five minutes of play. It was a thrilling end to a classic contest against Ardie Savea’s new-look Moana Pasifika.
Donaldson appeared to have picked up an ankle injury earlier in the second half but soldiered on for the Force, and the fly-half was repaid for that commitment with an incredible match-winner which will be replayed for years to come.
After more than 20 phases, Donaldson sliced through a hole in Moana’s defensive line before running all the way to the house, with Force teammate Harry Potter the closest player to the try-scorer who touched the ball under the sticks.
“Every rugby player, if they’ve had a career and they’ve experienced the last six minutes like those boys did, they’ll take a lot into the future, whether that’s next week or next year, they learn how to handle those moments and stay composed,” Cron explained.
“When teams talk about process over outcome, that’s a process stage of the game where the boys did their role, 124 involvements.
“We have to look at things that happened prior to that and how we can be better. Our kick-off receipts were a part of it, defence on the edges, and making sure we get those right.”
