News - AU Rugby
Back-room drama has 'galvanised' Brumbies
AAP
March 31, 2016

The ongoing management saga at the Brumbies has only brought the players closer together ahead of what co-captain Stephen Moore has labelled their biggest test of the Super Rugby season.

The Canberra-based club returned home late on Monday after three weeks on the road in Perth and South Africa.

They managed to miss most of the drama involving chief executive Michael Jones, who was stood down by the Brumbies' board last week but is continuing his duties after winning a temporary injunction.

The ACT Supreme Court is yet to hand down its decision on whether to overturn the order or keep it and, effectively, Jones as CEO.

An extraordinary general meeting has also been called for April 13 by a number of key stakeholders, where they want to move a motion to dissolve the board that stood Jones down.

Moore said his teammates have tried to keep it out of their minds ahead of Saturday's big clash with the Chiefs at GIO Stadium.

"These type of things tend to galvanise the playing group," he told ABC Grandstand on Thursday.

"You close ranks a little bit and pull together and focus on what's important for us, and that's the game on the weekend. It's a huge game.

"All the other peripheral stuff going on is really not part of what we're doing."

Moore said most of the players didn't fully understand the issue, and that he had stopped following it himself.

"We spoke about it when it first came out and Bernie (coach Stephen Larkham) was very firm about the fact that it has nothing to do with us, the playing side, and we just need to focus on what we can do," he added.

"What we can do is go out on Saturday and give the fans something to be proud of."

Saturday's battle pits Australia's best team against New Zealand's.

The Chiefs smashed the Western Force 53-10 last week, and have scored nine more tries (28) than the Brumbies (19) this season.

Moore knows defence will be key if the Larkham's men are to walk away winners and improve their 4-1 win-loss record in 2016 before they head into a bye.

"They've been the frontrunners the last couple of weeks, they played really well on the weekend and they've got a really dangerous backline," he said.

"Our defence has been pretty good this year so far but ... it's going to be our biggest test, that's for sure."

© AAP

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