Australia U20 star among six new faces in Brumbies squad for 2025

Australia U20 representative Shane Wilcox and Wallabies squad member David Feliuai are among the six new players in the ACT Brumbies’ squad for 2025 as last season’s semi-finalists look to go a couple better in the upcoming Super Rugby Pacific season.

Wilcox started two matches at fullback during the U20 Rugby Championship on the Sunshine Coast earlier this year, which included a decisive double in the 24-19 win over South Africa U20. The fullback also wore the No. 15 jumper five times at the World Rugby U20 Championship.

Feliuai is another significant addition to the Brumbies’ squad ahead of the new campaign, with the midfielder having been included in Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies squad before the two-match series in Argentina and later the Bledisloe Cup series.

Along with Feliuai, versatile forward Tuaina Taii Tualima joins from the Melbourne Rebels. The other fresh faces in the squad are made up of Academy graduates, and they are Kadin Pritchard, Tevita Alatini, and Lachlan Hooper – who is the brother of Wallaby Lachlan Hooper.

 

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The rest of the Brumbies’ squad looks incredibly familiar, with 30 members of last year’s squad retained for 2025. Next season’s squad includes seven Wallabies who played in the famous 42-37 win over England at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium last weekend.

Nick Frost, Rob Valetini, Noah Lolesio, Len Ikitau, Tom Wright, Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper all contributed as the Wallabies started their Grand Slam quest with a valiant victory at one of the more famous venues in the sport.

“We’re delighted with our squad for next year’s Super Rugby Pacific. To maintain the bulk of our group from last season is pleasing and keeps a real sense of continuity around the club,” Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham said in a statement.

“We’re excited to see what all the new additions can bring to the team in 2025. The two guys from Melbourne have given a great account of themselves since coming in for pre-season last week and are going to prove invaluable to us.

“We’re particularly looking forward to seeing the young guys getting some game time for the first team. The Elite Development Squad here keeps producing talent year after year and it’s incredibly satisfying to see those boys come through the system and pull on a Brumbies shirt.

“It’s been a terrific atmosphere around the place since pre-season began. We’ll be keeping the ball rolling throughout the rest of the year and into 2025 ahead of the first game against Fijian Drua in Suva in February.”

Tualima and Feliuai both joined the Brumbies for the start of pre-season training last Monday. Tualima brings some versatility to the group as a proven competitor at lock of the backrow, having played 37 times for the Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels in the past.

As for Feliuai, the 27-year-old debuted at Super Rugby Pacific level last year for the Rebels following a three-year stint in Romania for Baia Mare. The midfielder was initially rewarded with representative honours after being named in Australia’s squad before the July Series.

The Brumbies get their 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season underway against the Fijian Drua in Suva, Fiji, on Saturday, February 15. They’ll then return home to Canberra’s GIO Stadium for a clash with the Western Force on Saturday, February 22.

ACT Brumbies squad for 2025

Forwards

Allan Alaalatoa, Tevita Alatini*, Liam Bowron, Charlie Cale, Nick Frost, Lachlan Hooper*, Tom Hooper, Lachlan Lonergan, Cadeyrn Neville, Billy Pollard, Luke Reimer, Blake Schoupp, Rory Scott, Lachlan Shaw, James Slipper, Tuaina Taii Tualima*, Rob Valetini, Rhys van Nek, Harry Vella

Backs

Austin Anderson, Hudson Creighton, Jack Debreczeni, David Feliuai*, Harrison Goddard, Len Ikitau, Noah Lolesio, Ryan Lonergan, Decland Meredith, Andy Muirhead, Ben O’Donnell, Kadin Pritchard*, Ollie Sapsford, Klayton Thorn, Corey Toole, Shane Wilcox, Tom Wright