Friend wants attention seekers
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Friend wants attention seekers
BY PETER FITZGERALD
RUGBY UNION 5/02/2009
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...px?storypage=0
ACT Brumbies coach Andy Friend has delivered a blunt message to his senior squad: impress me tonight or forget about selection next weekend.
Friend revealed yesterday he had finalised 60 per cent of his starting XV for the Brumbies' opening Super14 match against the Otago Highlanders in eight days.
The other 40 per cent would be determined pending performances in tonight's trial games against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.
Officials have organised two games for tonight which will test the depth of both squads.
Friend said he was largely satisfied with his backline but insisted Stirling Mortlock and Adam Ashley-Cooper would switch positions if they didn't click as inside and outside-centre, respectively, tonight.
Up front Friend will give prop candidates Nic Henderson and Guy Shepherdson as much game time as they can handle to see who will partner Ben Alexander and Stephen Moore in the front row next weekend.
The coach is yet to finalise his second row and is undecided whether Peter Kimlin or Mitchell Chapman will get first crack at the No6 jersey.
Both will get to play 80 minutes at blindside flanker in the two games scheduled against NSW.
Friend expected to know by as early as tomorrow morning what his starting XV for the Highlanders game would be but insisted tonight's games were imperative to positional selections.
''It's the last chance to impress, the guys know that so that will lift them,'' the coach said.
''I'm looking at the front row, the back row and the centres mainly but across the park, nobody is safe at present.
''If the boys perform well [in the main game] then chances are they'll cement positions. On the whole if they play well they'll be in for the Highlanders.''
Friend was impressed with both Shepherdson and Henderson during last weekend's 28-14 trial win over the Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium.
Henderson will play in tonight's main game alongside Alexander while Shepherdson will play in the curtain-raiser against a weaker NSW outfit.
Friend insisted the decision to play Shepherdson in the lesser match was simply to give him the same amount of game time as Henderson.
''I just want to see Nic at tighthead with Benny Alexander to see how they go,'' Friend said.
''The front row really is not yet finalised, we just want to test some combinations that maybe we didn't get a chance to have a look at in last weekend's match.
''Guy is still definitely in contention for that first game next week but we'll have a look at all the performances against the Waratahs.''
Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles believed the return of Wallabies Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper, Moore and George Smith for tonight's fixture would complete the Brumbies' attacking game.
Hoiles expected the players still fighting for positions to feel added pressure tonight.
''There's always pressure for guys to play well and stake a claim for a starting spot but if they really want it, they won't let the pressure effect them,'' he said.
''Every player always feels some sort of pressure but over the years, hopefully they've learned to deal with pressure and even make it a positive.''
The Brumbies will travel to Sydney this morning and return after tonight's match.
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17:35 the first Super 14 game of the season...
Originally Posted by mudskipper
