Braid fit to face Brumbies

Midfielder Luke McAlister lost his race to return to the Blues but openside flanker Daniel Braid has been passed fit for action against the undefeated Brumbies tomorrow.

Those decisions mean only one change to the Blues starting XV - wing Viliame Waqaseduadua comes in for the injured Doug Howlett- from the side which was well beaten by the Crusaders.

McAlister was a key player when a rejigged Blues side triumphed last season 17-0 against the Brumbies.

There were hints he might get a medical clearance from his broken jaw this week but that seemed to be more a case of pretence than substance.

He is not even among the reserves, where Steve Devine and Ben Atiga have been restored after injury.

There had been some real concern though about Braid's fitness when his strained hamstring put him in doubt for a duel with George Smith.

But after some extensive treatment Braid was cleared yesterday to play on the openside.

That was a boost for a side struggling to find any rhythm, a team which needs a great deal to go their way if they are to win.

Both coaches, David Nucifora and Laurie Fisher, have indulged in some pre-match verbals to continue the acrimony which started when Nucifora was sacked by the Brumbies on the way to the 2004 title.

They have also taken aim at their forward packs, demanding they bring more aggression to this contest between sides at opposite ends of the tournament.

Nucifora has censured his forwards for their inconsistent setpiece work, flaws which have hampered any great backline results.

It is a sad statistic that the Blues have scored just five tries and conceded 12 in their four games.

In contrast, the Brumbies have scored 15 tries and yielded four in their five matches against all but one South African opponent. This is the first match against a New Zealand side this season for the Brumbies.

Adam Ashley-Cooper has been restored to fullback after injury with Gene Fairbanks deputising for the Commonwealth Games-tied Matt Giteau in midfield. The injured Jeremy Paul and Radike Samo are hurt, otherwise the Brumbies will have the rest of their stellar collection of players.