Super Rugby / Andy Morris / 01 April 2011 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

The Highlanders got off to a good start, but when Andy Morris considers that their first three opponents have not really performed up to the expectations and the defeat by the Crusaders was a heavy one, he's not so sure.

In their last four games they won two against the Chiefs and the Bulls and lost to the Crusaders and Stormers.

Colin Slade returns to the team and his progress he made in 2010 will be watched with great deal of interest. His coach will want to see control and accurate goal-kicking as key parts of his game. Tom Donelly will be asked to lead the tight five and Adam Thompson, who performed well in 2011, will be prominent in loose play.

Kade Poki is also back from injury, while Bronson Murray`s shoulder injury was not as severe as first thought although he is not in starting 22.

The Brumbies have not played great either. Following the opening win over the Chiefs they lost four in the row even if the losses against the Rebels, Reds and Waratahs have all been narrow ones. They also took a walloping from the Crusaders but more concerning is the fact that two defeats have been conceded in last seconds of the match. That was the case again last week, when the Waratahs scored on the last play of the game.

Although Matt Giteau has been in decent form recently and his goal kicking average is around 75 percent, the Brumbies would like to see more from their senior players.

Salesi Ma'afu gets his first start at tighthead this week with Dan Palmer being rested on the bench. He is joined in the front row by Ben Alexander and Huia Edmonds, while Anthony Hegarty again fills the hooking-bench position. At flanker, Peter Kimlin moves into the starting team for Colby Faingaa who moves onto the bench. Faingaa will be looking for a big game on Friday having re-signed with Brumbies Rugby earlier in the week for another two years. In the backs, Adam Ashley-Cooper has been shifted to the wing in place of Franky Fainifo who moves to the bench. The fullback position will be occupied by Matt Toomua. The rest of the backline remains the same as in the team's last match.

On the bench, Tyrone Smith has earned his first crack at Super Rugby in 2011, making way for Robbie Coleman who will be rested this weekend.

Although both teams have lost in their recent games, the Highlanders played some good rugby already and seem a focused outfit that promises more than was originally anticipated for 2011.