Hurricanes vs Brumbies

The Canes have an outside chance at best of making the playoffs, whereas the Brumbies not only have a solid lead at the top of the Aussie conference table, but are hunting for a top 2 spot, which means this is a huge game for them. Doesn't guarantee they'll win, of course, but it does guarantee a serious effort from them.

Here are the half-time margins for the games the 'Canes have played in NZ against teams NOT from South Africa...

1 pt
3 pts
25 pts ('Canes trailed)
4 pts ('Canes trailed)
4 pts

The 'Canes defense licks balls (their points differential is +5 vs the Brumbies +53), that's why they haven't pulled away from any Australasian teams before well into the 2nd half this season. So here we have a team laying 3.5 pts against an opponent that hasn't had to travel from South Africa. Can someone therefore tell me where the advantage is, based on the Canes previous 1st half efforts, in laying the points here, esp. given the disparity in the quality of defenses present? No-one? Thought not.

Brumbies +3.5 for the 1st half.