MELBOURNE : The ACT Brumbies have been building belief through a psychology coach ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final against Waikato Chiefs as they look to become the first Australian side to win a playoff in New Zealand.
The twice champion Brumbies are Australia’s last chance to win the provincial competition but must beat the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday and then travel to face the winner of the Canterbury Crusaders and Auckland Blues.
Lock Tom Hooper said the Brumbies’ psychology coach had been helping them build a winning mindset as they prepare for the table-topping Chiefs.
“We’re always learning, we’re always evolving,” Hooper told Australian media.
“We’ve got a psych coach in – every little detail that we can do just to try and get better because at the end of the day, let’s be real, the New Zealand teams getting better and better every year.
“So do we, and we’ve got to match them.”
The Brumbies knocked out the Wellington Hurricanes 37-33 in Canberra over the weekend after the Chiefs fended off the Queensland Reds 29-20 in Hamilton.
Saturday’s match will be replay of the 2013 decider which saw the Chiefs claim a 27-22 win to earn back-to-back championships.
“I saw a stat on the telly (TV) that no Australian team had won in 14 (finals) games in New Zealand and we definitely want to put an end to that,” said Hooper.
“Someone’s got to be the first. So why can’t it be us?”
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