Super Rugby playoffs: Braid in gear - Blue on Red

As if playing in his first game of sudden-death Super rugby last weekend against the Waratahs wasn't reason enough, having older sibling Daniel back breathing down his neck gave Luke Braid added incentive to perform.
Luke Braid retained the No 7 jersey ahead of older brother and former Red Daniel for tomorrow's Super 15 semifinal against the Queensland Reds in Brisbane. Daniel returned to Super rugby last weekend after a lengthy spell out with injury but will start on the bench.
Luke spent the first few rounds of the competition struggling for game time, stuck behind his brother, but a neck problem Daniel picked up in the round four meant Luke has started every game since.
"It's always a bit of a nervous time when any team's named but this week was a bit worse after the pressure of last week having to have a good one against the 'Tahs.
"Dan was on his way back and was letting me know he wants his spot back too."
Luke Braid, who will return to the Bay of Plenty Steamers after the Super rugby playoffs, knows the weight of expectation is against the Blues tomorrow.
The Blues were beaten 37-31 by the Reds in their last trip to Suncorp Stadium yet are attempting to become the first team in 12 years to reach the final from fourth place.
They were flat leading into the playoffs but have rediscovered their zing, the 22-year-old Tauranga Boys' College student said.
"A lot of us were tired towards the end of round-robin, playing the other New Zealand teams a second time around seemed to take quite a bit of energy out of us for some reason," he said. "But we addressed that, changing some of what we were doing during the week which has injected some energy back into things.
"Most of us went into the game last weekend with a second wind and we popped out of the hole we found ourselves in."
The Queenslanders have led the current tournament throughout the season and finished in first place for the first time since the advent of the Super 12 in 1996.
They have players in key positions, notably halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper, accustomed to the intensity of test football. The expected return from injury of outside backs Digby Ioane, Anthony Faingaa and backrower Beau Robinson to also expected to provide strength, with Braid looking forward to his matchup against Robinson.
"Beau is a big plus for the Reds. He's a bloody competitive guy and slipped me a few cheeky punches the last time we played in Brisbane. But Genia and Cooper are the axis for them and to have any chance of shutting them down it'll come down to our set piece. If that's solid then they'll be easier to tackle."
Last season with the Chiefs Braid got to start just two games. He hasn't looked back after the move to Auckland.
"It probably seemed like a reasonably big call to sign for the Blues but it was a no-brainer for me and has turned out to be even better that I thought it would be.
"I've learned a lot here that hopefully I can bring with me back to the Bay and just being around guys like Dan, Keven Mealaumu and Ali Willians, who been around the traps and have such an aura of calmness about them, has been great to learn off.
"The whole different style took a bit of getting used to. Whereas the Chiefs have had same game plan with Fozzie for a long time, the game plan here is more complicated. The hardest thing was flushing some of the old stuff I'd learned from my time with the Chiefs and getting into the Blues style which, as an openside, is running more positive lines, developing more of a link game from broken play and playing more for continuity.
"It's been good too playing behind a dominant pack because playing for a Chiefs side last year that was struggling wasn't much fun."
Braid will battle Tanerau Latimer and Sam Cane for the No 7 jersey when he gets back to Tauranga but the ITM Cup isn't part of his thinking yet as long as the Blues stay alive. "The Bay boys phoned me from the Chiefs end-of-season do a week or so back, obviously having a good time. I told them to enjoy their party but I had playoffs to focus on."
Blues: Jared Payne, Joe Rokocoko, Benson Stanley, Luke McAlister, Lachie Munro/Rene Ranger, Stephen Brett, Alby Mathewson, Peter Saili, Luke Braid, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Chris Lowrey, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu (captain), Charlie Faumuina. Reserves: Tom McCartney, Tevita Mailau, James King/Mat Luamanu, Daniel Braid, Chris Smylie, Munro/Ranger, Winston Stanley/Sherwin Stowers.
Reds: Jono Lance, Rod Davies, Anthony Faingaa, Ben Tapuai, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Radike Samo, Beau Robinson, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (capt), Rob Simmons, Greg Holmes, Saia Faingaa, Ben Daley. Reserves: James Hanson, Guy Shepherdson, Adam Wallace-Harrison, Jake Schatz, Liam Gill, Ian Prior, Will Chambers.