ROUND 7 PREVIEW
The Whites travel to ANU North Oval this weekend to face 2nd placed Uni-Norths for the second time in season 2021, keen to firstly avenge the first-round loss and secondly, to get back into the winner’s circle after going down to Tuggeranong last weekend at Erindale, following back-to-back wins over Wests and Royals the previous weeks.
There will be plenty of lessons taken from last weeks loss and concentrating on securing and keeping possession for multiple phases will be high on the priority list.
The coaching staff have made a couple of changes, amongst those the return from injury of Justin Sikimeti, Junior Tupou and Jackson Stuart whilst also seeing the return to the 1st grade run-on side for Mitchell Douch at half back after some outstanding efforts in 2nd Grade.
All will bring a wealth of talent to the young Whites side, keen to stay in touch with the top sides given how close the competition is.
The Whites pack will be looking to match the Owls well drilled pack and provide the Whites backline quality possession to test the Owls backline.
It will be a big day of rugby action at ANU North with the Whites up against the Owls in all senior grades as well as the Women’s Premiership making 6 games of rugby across the day.
If previous games are anything to go by, then all games will be keenly contested.
To make it an extra special day, the Norths winning premiership side of 1971 will be holding a 50-year reunion given they defeated the Whites 8-3 in the decider way back then. The Whites that day included such club legends as Coach Peter Morton, Graham Hughes, Dennis Debenham, Phill Hawke, Johnny Tumataroa, Alan Webber and Brian ‘Bumpa’ Kingi – just to name a few!!
In other ACT Premiership matches Royals will be hosting Gungahlin at Phillip District whilst Wests entertain ladder leading Vikings at Jamison.
In other news, the Whites will be hosting a Sponsors Night event at the Hellenic Club in the City on Friday Night where over 100 invited sponsors will be thanked for the support of the Whites with a meal along with a number of guest speakers and then finally a ‘Q and A’ session with the Whites Brumbies contingent including James Slipper, Nic White, Nick Frost, Reece Tapine and Fred Kaihea whilst Brumbies Super W Coach Dan Hawke will be discussing the upcoming Super W program.
The night will be hosted by Canberra Times journalist Caden Helmers in what is sure to be an entertaining evening. The Brumbies will be glad to be home after a tough 3-week tour of NZ and looking forward to hosting the Wellington Hurricanes at GIO Stadium at 7.30 Saturday night.
