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Grudge match Brumbies face Reds in all-Australian Super 12 semi
CANBERRA (Reuters) - The ACT Brumbies and the Queensland Reds both have points to prove in Saturday's first all-Australian Super 12 semifinal. While their meeting guarantees Australia will definitely be represented in next weekend's final, the Brumbies are desperate to become the first Australian team to win the competition after finishing runners-up in 1996 and again last year. But Queensland are equally determined to give Australia its first champion after missing out on the final in 1995 and again in 1999 despite finishing the preliminary rounds in first place. The ACT Brumbies earned the home ground advantage against the Reds by finishing on top of the table this year but are taking nothing for granted against the Reds, who won their last five matches to scrape into the playoffs. "We've improved a lot in the last three weeks but we know we can play better," ACT coach Eddie Jones said. "We know we can improve and against Queensland that's what we must do." Despite finishing in first place for the second year running, the star-studded Brumbies, whose side includes Wallabies such as George Gregan, Stephen Larkham and Joe Roff, were not as dominant this season as they were a year ago. The Brumbies have stuck with their expansive run-at-all-costs game but new rules on decoy runners have weakened their effectiveness and opposition teams have learnt how to counter their game. They have also been plagued by injuries to key players but received some timely news on the eve of Saturday's final at Canberra's Bruce Stadium when test players Larkham, Jeremy Paul, Owen Finegan and Jim Williams were all cleared to play after injury. "It's sudden-death from now on in, so there's no second chance if we don't win and I really want to be part of the side," Larkham said. John Eales' Reds play a much tighter, risk-free brand of rugby which has served them well in the run-up to the playoffs. The Reds looked to have no hope of making the semifinals after losing five of their first six matches, but stormed home to make the playoffs and ensure Australia would be represented in the final against either South Africa's Cats or Sharks. The Reds had an unusual final build-up to the semifinal when their plane was forced to circle Canberra for almost an hour on Friday because of heavy fog then their baggage got lost after arrival. But their coach Mark McBain laughed off the problems saying it was nothing to what they had endured just making the playoffs. "What hasn't changed is that we had our backs to the wall five games ago," McBain said. "Every week we had our backs to the wall, every week you hope you win. It isn't different at all. "I don't know if it's momentum, but it's good experience to do that. "You could look at it two ways, maybe we've used up all our nervous energy, maybe we've running our race at the right time." ACT Brumbies squad: Mark Bartholomeusz, Graeme Bond, Ben Darwin, Owen Finegan, David Giffin, George Gregan, Travis Hall, Justin Harrison, James Holbeck, Rod Kafer, Stephen Larkham, Craig McMullen, Stirling Mortlock, Tom Murphy, Jeremy Paul, David Pusey, Joe Roff, Peter Ryan, Angus Scott, George Smith, Des Tuiavii, Andrew Walker, Matthew Weaver, Joel Wilson, Jim Williams, Bill Young (four to be omitted). Queensland squad: Nick Stiles, Michael Foley, Glenn Panoho, Nathan Sharpe, John Eales (captain), Matt Cockbain, David Croft, Toutai Kefu, Jacob Rauluni, Elton Flatley, Ricky Nalatu, Steve Kefu, Daniel Herbert, Junior Pelesasa, Nathan Williams, Chris Latham, Ben Tune, Sam Cordingley, Shane Drahm, Mark Connors, John Roe, Fletcher Dyson, Sean Hardman (one to be omitted). Mortlock signs for Brumbies Australian rugby union wing Stirling Mortlock ended rumors he was about to defect to rugby league Friday by signing a two-year deal with the ACT Brumbies. Mortlock had been targeted by rugby league clubs since he broke into the Wallaby team last season, scoring 122 points in just 10 tests and kicking the winning goal in Australia's first Tri-Nations series win. But the 23-year-old finally ended speculation over his future by announcing he had re-signed with the Brumbies, making him available for Australian selection at least until the 2003 World Cup. "I'm really happy to be in a situation to have my future sealed for the next two years," Mortlock said. Kafer faces possible suspension Australian rugby international Rod Kafer faces a possible suspension after claiming the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) was biased against the ACT Brumbies. The ARU has rejected Kafer's comments and asked the Wallaby utility back to apologize or face being suspended for contravening the player's code of conduct. ACT Brumbies boss Mark Sinderberry said Kafer had been advised to forget about the matter until after Saturday's Super 12 semifinal. "We really want to focus on this weekend and we'll have a chat with Rod on Monday," Sinderberry said Friday. "At this stage it's not really up to me to say. I really have to talk to Rod and see what he did mean by that statement." Kafer told reporters Thursday that the ARU was prejudiced against ACT players. He said: "You would like to think that everyone would be treated equal, but in this farmyard some pigs are treated more equal than others." ARU managing director John O'Neill lashed out at Kafer's comments, pointing to the high number of ACT players in the national squad and the ARU's push to get the Brumbies in the Super 12.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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