LIVE: Brumbies lose two stars in brutal semi

Former Wallabies Tim Horan and Justin Harrison are tipping the Brumbies to marque Super Rugby past by beating the Chiefs successful Hamilton today.

Australian teams are 0-15 successful playoff games successful New Zealand.

"I'm gonna spell Brumbies by three," Horan said connected Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven.

"I deliberation the mode that the Reds played against them the past mates of times, that you tin spot cracks successful the Chiefs. I deliberation Stephen Larkham has learned however to interruption the antiaircraft enactment down aft a mates of weeks ago, wherever they couldn't ace the Chiefs.

"I deliberation Steve Larkham's adjusted that successful his coaching."

Harrison concurred.

"Brumbies are gonna win," Harrison said.

"I deliberation it's a effort astatine the extremity of the game, you know, truthful it's astir apt by 4 oregon five."

Another erstwhile Wallaby, Morgan Turinui, went the different way.

"I deliberation the Chiefs mightiness beryllium excessively good," Turinui said.

"There's a crushed they're first, there's a crushed they were capable to spell to Canberra and win. It can't beryllium each 3 of america tipping the Brumbies.

"I deliberation this is gonna beryllium an implicit ripping game, again. Chiefs, that location crushed vantage should beryllium the difference."

The Chiefs look the ACT Brumbies successful Hamilton successful the 2nd semi-final contiguous arsenic they adjacent successful connected their archetypal Super Rugby rubric since 2013 erstwhile they won nether erstwhile Wallabies manager Dave Rennie.

A 13-1 regular play grounds makes the Chiefs apical seeds and favourites.

While the Chiefs bushed the Brumbies 31-21 during the regular season, the Brumbies person beaten the Chiefs successful Hamilton successful the past.

Although, each erstwhile playoff matches betwixt the teams person gone to the location team.

The Chiefs' lone nonaccomplishment successful the regular play was to the Queensland Reds and they lone narrowly bushed the Reds successful the quarter-finals past weekend, which mightiness suggest tactical possibilities to the Brumbies.

"We've got to spot what the Reds did and past effort and bash it a small spot amended and enactment ain Brumbies rotation connected it, our ain Brumbies charm, and hopefully that volition bash the job," Brumbies backrower Tom Hooper said.

The Brumbies besides came adjacent to losing their quarter-final, holding connected to bushed the Hurricanes acknowledgment to a marginal telephone successful the past minute.

If they triumph today, they volition extremity a streak of 15 playoff losses for Australian teams successful New Zealand.

"I saw a stat... and we decidedly privation to enactment an extremity to that," Hooper said.

"Someone's got to beryllium the first, truthful wherefore can't it beryllium us?"

CHIEFS (1) vs BRUMBIES (4) successful Hamilton, Saturday 5.05pm kickoff AEST

The Brumbies person welcomed backmost speedster Corey Toole for Saturday's semi-final against the Chiefs at FMG Stadium Waikato.

The breakout winger missed the thrilling quarter-final triumph implicit the Hurricanes with an ankle wounded but has been included connected the seat for the day with the insignificant premiers, replacing seasoned Jesse Mogg.

Brumbies manager Stephen Larkham has made conscionable 1 alteration to his starting side, with Tom Hooper replacing Jahrome Brown successful a bulked up backrow.

Hooper volition commencement successful the unfamiliar relation of openside flanker arsenic Pete Samu shifts to blindside and Rob Valetini to No.8.

As expected, skipper Allan Alaalatoa remains sidelined with a calf wounded and Nic White retains the enactment duties.

Jack Debreczeni is again preferred to Noah Lolesio astatine No.10 aft a composed show against the Hurricanes portion Wallabies firebrand Darcy Swain is included among the reserves.

"We've backed our continuity and combinations this week and we're going crossed to New Zealand afloat of vigor and excitement for this challenge," Larkham said.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs person made 3 changes to their starting lineup with prop George Dyer, fastener Tupou Vaa'i and centre Alex Nankivell replacing John Ryan, Josh Lord and Rameka Poihipi respectively.

"The Brumbies volition get with a batch of assurance pursuing their triumph implicit the Hurricanes," Chiefs manager Clayton McMillan said.

"Whilst their customary strengths of lineout maul and contestable kicks were evident, they besides showed a willingness to tally from deeper successful their ain fractional and situation with the shot successful hand, truthful they are a good rounded broadside who tin wounded you if let them to get their crippled going. We person named an experienced broadside who are fresh, acceptable and bare to bash a job. Should beryllium a hellhole of a game!"

CHIEFS (15-1): Shaun Stevenson, Emoni Narawa, Alex Nankivell, Anton Lienert-Brown, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Damian McKenzie, Brad Weber (co-c), Luke Jacobson, Sam Cane (co-c), Samipeni Finau, Tupou Vaa'i, Brodie Retallick, George Dyer, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Aidan Ross

Reserves: Tyrone Thompson, Ollie Norris, John Ryan, Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Pita Gus Sowakula, Cortez Ratima, Josh Ioane, Rameka Poihipi.

BRUMBIES (15-1): Tom Wright, Andy Muirhead, Len Ikitau, Tamati Tua, Ollie Sapsford, Jack Debreczeni, Nic White (c), Pete Samu, Tom Hooper, Rob Valetini, Cadeyrn Neville, Nick Frost, Sefo Kautai, Lachlan Lonergan, James Slipper

Reserves: Connal McInerney, Blake Schoupp, Rhys van Nek, Darcy Swain, Luke Reimer, Ryan Lonergan, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole

Referee: Nic Berry