Brumbies won’t slow rugby playoff: Canes

Hurricanes halfback TJ Perenara doesn’t expect the Brumbies to try to curtail his side’s attacking brilliance by slowing the tempo of their Super Rugby quarter-final.

With the high-scoring Hurricanes hunting their first win in Canberra since 2010 to progress to a semi-final, the Brumbies could try to force this visitors into a dour contest on Friday night.

But the Hurricanes’ star No. 9 isn’t expecting the Brumbies to apply the brakes.

“This Brumbies team plays well with ball also,” Perenara said.

“I think if they get the opportunities, they’ll play and, if they get opportunity to kick to the line and take a set-piece, I think they’ll do that.

“I don’t think they see speed of game as a weakness.”

Beauden Barrett rejoins Perenara in the halves after missing last week’s win over the Crusaders which denied the Christchurch team an unbeaten season.

They form a backline boasting Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett in the centres, wingers Julian Savea and Wes Goosen and fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder.

But the Hurricanes’ array of attacking talent doesn’t mean the Brumbies will be without a way to match them, Perenara said.

“The Brumbies are a very good set-piece team and they strike well off the set-piece,” he said.

“For us, we know we’ve got to limit penalties and limit our errors to stop them from getting as much set-piece as they would like.”

The Hurricanes will start favourites after playing their part in New Zealand sides’ 25-0 whitewash of Australia’s Super Rugby teams this season.

“Regardless of what results have happened throughout a season, when you come to crunch time, it doesn’t mean anything,” Perenara said.

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