Super Rugby
Brumbies pre-season speed pays off in Super Rugby opener
AAP
February 26, 2016
Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore© Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Coach Stephen Larkham is hopeful the Brumbies can maintain the speed and style they showed in their thumping season-opening Super Rugby win when they face arch-rivals the NSW Waratahs next week.

The Brumbies blew last year's finalists the Hurricanes off the park in a 52-10 rout at GIO Stadium on Friday, running in seven tries to one.

Departing co-captain and man of the match Stephen Moore led the way with a try in his 150th Super Rugby game, with fellow Wallabies David Pocock, Scott Fardy, Tevita Kuridrani, Sam Carter and Josh Mann-Rea also scoring.

Argentina half Tomas Cubelli added his name to the list of international tryscorers in an impressive debut.

It was one of the most exciting displays by the Brumbies in the nation's capital, with some trick moves and slick plays as part of their new-and-improved open attacking game.

The pace proved too much for the `Canes, who struggled to hold onto the ball.

"We've done a fair bit of work on our speed through the pre-season ... and it's good that that sort of stuff showed on the field," Larkham said.

The coach praised, in particular, his Wallabies, who worked hard through December, following the World Cup before returning to train with the team last month.

While it was pleasing to see the hard work pay off in the first round, it was important they kept at it throughout the season amid the chase for their first title since 2004.

"It's a long competition and we've got to make sure that we can put that performance in each week," he said. "That's the job of the coaches ... to make sure that we're getting the amount of metres in their legs and giving them enough time to rest as well."

Larkham has given his charges the weekend off ahead of another big test against the Waratahs.

The two sides meet in Canberra next Friday.

"[They'll] come back in on Monday and then [have] a light week really," he said. "They'll train on Monday, train on Wednesday, the captain's run on Thursday and then we play on Friday again."

Larkham expects lock Rory Arnold to be OK for the match after copping a knock to his knee and suffering some swelling.

© AAP

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