Consistency the key for Brumbies in Super W's second season

Tue, Feb 19, 2019, 7:29 AM
Sarah Friend
by Sarah Friend
Newley appointed Brumbies women's coach Adam Butt is focused on consistency in the second Buildcorp Super W season after the side only managed one win last year. The Brumbies are hoping for early success at home in this weekends Super double-header.

Newly appointed Brumbies coach Adam Butt says he’s looking for more consistency in the second Buildcorp Super W season.

Butt, who took over from Tony Doherty at the end of last year, has mapped out a new succession plan for 2019 and is confident he can turn last year’s single victory into many with a little bit of hard work and determination.

“Every team that you’re involved in a team you want consistency,” Butt said.

“Up and down is the hardest thing to fix so if we can get consistency across the board, preferably good consistency then we’re on the right track.

“The preseason has been pretty rough of some of the girls the loads have been pretty big, so it’s been a bit of a shock to the system.

“But hard works got to be put in.”

Their preseason hit out against the Melbourne Rebels was a testament to that, with Biola Dawa and Grace Kemp running away with the Brumbies' match-winning tries in their 18-5 victory over the Rebels at Greenfield Park in Albury.

It has given the Brumbies plenty to be excited about as the Super W season looms closer.

“We want to improve the quality of the game,” Butt said.

“The women’s game has usually been tight, we’d like to see it go a bit wider and the girls are embracing it.

“It does spread you in defence and it makes you work a bit harder but they’re all ready for that and I think they’re conditioning is up there.”

Brumbies veteran and Wallaroos lock Michelle Milward will again captain the side in her second year of the Super W.

“I’m really excited,” Milward said.

“As always captaining your state is always something to be proud of.

“I think every year it’s ramping up.

“I think it’s hard every year we get a lot of turnover of girls. We’re just trying to first of all gel as a team and get our combinations going and then we’ll just start adding onto that,” she said.

The Brumbies women will take on defending champions NSW in the opening round of the Super W season.

They hope to bag a win at home in a Super double-header at GIO Stadium in Canberra.

“Last year there was a few close games and it really came down to the wire, and we had some inexperience there so hopefully this year we can carry on from last year and that will put us in good stead for this one,” she said.

“We have a lot of youth in the team, a lot of unexplored talent.

“There’re some girls that have come in that I’ve never seen before, and they’re really good talent, really surprising so I can’t wait to see them on the field.”

The Brumbies take on the NSW Women on Saturday February 23 at GIO Stadium, kicking off at 5pm AEDT, LIVE on Kayo Sports and RUGBY.com.au.

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