Brumbies confident of keeping majority of squad intact despite dire financial outlook
The Brumbies are expecting to keep their bulk of their squad intact as Australian rugby’s dire financial state bites at Super Rugby clubs.
A five-team domestic competition that will start on July 3 was confirmed by Rugby Australia this week but with a broadcast deal yet to be locked in beyond 2020, some players are feeling edgy.
A number of off-contract Melbourne Rebels players are contemplating their futures, tempted by big money in Japan or Europe.
That includes starting lock Matt Philip, hooker Anaru Rangi, halfback Ryan Louwrens and centre Billy Meakes.
The club, however, are confident of holding on to prized asset, Wallabies winger Marika Koroibete, who signed a new two-year deal late last year.
They also feel secure about their future line-up with key Test players such as Dane Haylett-Petty, Matt Toomua, Jordan Uelese and Reece Hodge locked in.
The Brumbies are similarly upbeat about holding on to key personnel.
Brumbies assistant coach Peter Hewat said most of their players were signed beyond 2020 and believed they wanted to stay put.
The Canberra-based club were leading the Australian conference and sitting second overall on the Super Rugby ladder before the competition was shut down in March.
“I think the majority of our squad are locked in and in regards to being uneasy I think that’s the world all over at the moment,” Hewat said on Thursday.
“There’s been no signs from our players that they are looking to get out and from a coaching point of view we’ve got to back our program and hopefully players feel they’re getting better and not looking elsewhere.”
Hewat, who earned 40 caps for the Waratahs between 2005 and ’07 and represented Australia in Sevens, welcomed the return of the Force to the Australian Super Rugby competition.
He predicted the Perth side, who who were cut from Super Rugby at the end of 2017, would have a point to prove.
He said Force players might take on the “reject” tag that spurred the Brumbies when they first joined Super Rugby in 1996.
“They’ve been together for a few years now – their group has been pretty stable,” Hewat said.
“A lot of those players will probably be thinking how the Brumbies did back in the day in terms of that they weren’t wanted by other Super Rugby franchises, so I imagine they will have a big point to prove.
“They are excited to play and we are excited to play against them.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
41 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
41 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
41 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
41 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
41 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
41 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
41 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to comments