Chiefs look to Blues to beat Brumbies

Knowing how the Brumbies play is one thing, stopping them is another, especially back in their home patch in Canberra.

Those are some of the issues Chiefs coach Ian Foster is wrestling with as he prepares his side for their last overseas match in the Super 14.

Foster made a reconnaissance trip to Eden Park at the weekend where he watched the Brumbies lose their first match this series to the Blues.

"The Brumbies have shown they have probably not played their best rugby in New Zealand, they generally leave that for Bruce Stadium.

"So we are trying to prepare by not reading too much into that performance at the weekend," he said

However it had been useful to scan the methods used by the Blues, the way they concentrated on their set-piece duties and mauled the ball over the advantage line to deliver the Brumbies first defeat this series.

Foster said, "the Brumbies are a proven team, they have got some proven patterns and formulas and if you allow them to dictate the pace of the game then they are a very difficult team to play.

"And I am not sure the formula has changed over the last six or seven years."

Before their victory, Blues coach David Nucifora predicted the Brumbies would struggle against a New Zealand side after a diet of South African foes. After the match he also implied the Brumbies' predictability made them easier to combat.

"We had a fair idea about how the Brumbies would play but you have got to be good enough to shut them down," he said.

The Chiefs coach noted the better work from the Blues at set-piece and the domino effect that had on the game.

"But it would be foolish to think if you unhinged some of the Brumbies pattern work that you have unhinged their game," Foster warned.

"The speed of the ball they are able to generate from the breakdown doesn't mean you have to understand what is coming because that quickness makes them very hard to defend."

The Chiefs have continuing concerns about centre Niva Ta'auso's ankle injury while wing Soseni Anesi needs a clearance after a heavy head clash during the Commonwealth Games sevens series.

Halfback Byron Kelleher will not join the touring squad until possibly the Thursday travel day because of a family bereavement.

The Chiefs held a brief camp in Whangamata before giving the squad the rest of the week away from rugby.

"There is a lot of talk about long championships and managing players but nothing seems to manage them better than time away," Foster said.

"Playing after a bye is as difficult as you want it to be. If you prepare thoroughly it can't be any excuse. We were tracking nicely in the last three games, starting to get things going really well.

"With the results over the weekend and you look at the table and we are eight points behind the Brumbies with a game in hand and they are in fourth place. It is a big game in all sorts of ways."