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Brumbies' young guns take aim at 'Tahs
By Jon Geddes Brumbies' young guns take aim at 'Tahs | The Daily Telegraph
March 07, 2008 12:00am
THE Brumbies' baby-faced assassins will have the Waratahs squarely in their sights when they run on to the SFS for the big Super 14 showdown tonight.
Rookie inside backs Christian Lealiifano, Tyrone Smith and Leo Afeaki have only seven Super 14 games between them but have wasted no time making their impact felt.
"I guess they have been labelled the Baby Brumbies in the backline but they have really stepped up and done what was needed of them," Brumbies skipper George Smith said.
Five-eighth Lealiifano, 20, inside-centre Smith, 24, and outside-centre Afeaki, 21, starred in their side's 43-11 win over the Reds last week after a Queensland plan to target them backfired disastrously.
The players got their chance in the starting side due to the Brumbies' horrendous backline injury toll, with Stirling Mortlock, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Gene Fairbanks, Anthony Faingaa and Peter Betham all out.
"You give these guys an opportunity and exposure to play at this level and I think they will step up," Smith said.
Wallabies and Brumbies back Mark Gerrard said the injection of the young backs had been a positive influence on the rest of the side.
"It's great to see all these new players come through and enjoy rugby where some players like myself can probably get a little bit stale at times," Gerrard said.
"Their enthusiasm rubs off on the other players.
"There is a rookie at 10, 12 and 13 for us, but we have every faith in their ability to play this game and I'm very happy to be beside them at the moment."
It is an encouraging sign for Australian rugby to see the three largely unknown players emerge this season.
George Smith's brother Tyrone spent the past three seasons playing for the Harlequins in the European Super League and if he continues his current form is destined for higher honours this year.
Afeaki is a graduate of St Josephs College and signed a rookie contract this year, while Lealiifano originally came from Victoria.
"Unfortunately injuries do happen in rugby and they have been thrown in at the deep end this early in the season," Gerrard said.
"But they are playing some good football and hopefully they can keep going forward."
Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher was not surprised by the quality of play shown by his young charges last week.
"The real challenge is to try and reproduce something of that order this weekend," he said. "It's going to be more difficult to execute this week against probably a little bit more committed and faster moving defence line."
It is a big weekend for the Afeaki family, as Leo's sister Eva will play for the Sydney Flames in tomorrow's WNBL grand final in Wollongong.