‘Incredibly high ceiling’: Brumbies sign towering lock after France stint

Hulking lock Aiden Stait bolsters the ACT Brumbies pack with his 203-centimetre, 130-kilogram frame through to the end of the 2029 season. Stait returns home to Australia on this multi-year deal, following a stint in France with Top 14 outfit Bayonne.

Stait was a product of the St George Dragons SG Ball system, before making the switch to rugby union and linking up with the NSW Waratahs Academy. In an interview with RugbyPass in late 2023, the second rower opened up on how a move to France came about.

The Bathurst-born talent made the decision to head abroad, getting the chance to travel the world and develop as a tight five forward in a world-class program. After three years in Basque Country, Stait returns home on a deal with the Brums.

Wallabies great Stephen Larkham leads the Brumbies coaching group, that also includes former Australia captain Ben Mowen and Wallabies new assistant John Ulugia. Stait will join the team ahead of the Super Rugby AUS campaign.

“Aiden is a unique athlete. You simply can’t coach his size and power, and those attributes give him an incredibly high ceiling,” Larkham said.

“What excites us most is that he’s recognised where he needs to be to take the next step. He’s had a valuable experience overseas, but he’s still at the beginning of his rugby journey and we believe our environment is the best place for him to develop into a Super Rugby player and continue building towards becoming a player who can perform at the highest level.”

“We’ve built a strong reputation for developing quality forwards, and our program has done an outstanding job with our pack over the past few seasons. Aidan will benefit enormously from working and learning alongside the experienced players we have in this squad.”

Stait is the latest addition to an exciting forward pack contingent at the Brums, which includes recent Wallabies debutant Lachlan Shaw. Nick Frost is another capped Wallaby in the team’s second-row ranks.

But the Brums have lost Super Rugby Pacific veteran Cadeyrn Neville to the Queensland Reds, in what will be the former Wallaby’s second stint at Ballymore. The Reds announced the signing of the 136-game lock in mid-June.

In an interview with RugbyPass in 2023, Stait opened up about the benefits of moving abroad, having been told “if you’re willing to learn and work, you’ll be able to play professional rugby in two, three years.” Now, that opportunity beckons with the Brums.

“France was a great experience and it challenged me in a lot of ways, but I felt the best place for me to continue developing was back in Australia with the Brumbies,” Stait said.

“The conversations with the coaches really stood out. They were honest about where my game is at and what I need to improve, but they also showed me a clear pathway for how I can get there.”

“The Brumbies have produced some outstanding forwards over a long period of time, and that’s the environment I want to be part of.”

“Signing for three years gives me the opportunity to really invest in the program and my development. The environment here is exactly what I was looking for, and I’m excited to keep learning from the coaches and the experienced players as I work towards earning my chance.”