The Plus500 Brumbies have finalised their 2020 squad with 37 players named to take part in the 25th season of Super Rugby action.
There are ten new signings for Brumbies supporters to look out for, including the latest recruit from Melbourne Storm, Solomone Kata, experienced lock Caderyn Neville, Sydney University Shute Shield skipper Guy Porter and backrower Will Miller.
Ten full Wallabies internationals are also represented in the Brumbies squad with strong-running centre Tevita Kuridrani, World class props Scott Sio, James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa and hooker Folau Fainga’a, the Brumbies leading try-scorer in 2019, all having been part of the Wallabies at the recent Rugby World Cup in Japan.
This quartet are part of a strong continuity in the squad with 27 players returning from the successful season in 2019, including Tom Banks, Pete Samu, Lachlan McCaffrey, Joe Powell and Tom Cusack.
“We feel we have a very balanced and exciting squad for the 2020 Super Rugby season,” Head Coach Dan McKellar commented.
“There’s a great mix of youth and experience in the roster, but the one thing they all have in common is their hunger to succeed, express themselves on a rugby field, and be part of a winning culture at the Brumbies.
“Our recruitment has been excellent. We identified areas in which we needed to bolster our ranks and we feel we have attracted the right type of player, both in terms of their ability and character, to succeed here in Canberra.”
Thirteen of the squad have been developed in the Brumbies Academy Pathway, a system that has been responsible for starting the Super Rugby careers of lock Darcy Swain, talented prop Tom Ross, scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, who excelled with the Canberra Vikings in the NRC, hooker Lachlan Lonergan and promising flyhalf Noah Lolesio amongst others.
The likes of these players, plus centre Len Ikitau and utility back Mack Hansen, are perfect examples of the pathway system working to its full intent, something that McKellar is keen to see continue.
“We have made no secret of the fact that we believe that, as a club, we should be growing our own players for Super Rugby,” McKellar said.
“We must have a thriving Academy pathway in place to succeed in this competition and allow for sustainable success. We are now seeing the benefits of the good work being undertaken by our Academy staff with a number of exciting talents coming into the senior squad.”
The Brumbies are back in training on Monday 18 November with their Super Rugby campaign commencing on Friday 31 January with the visit of the Reds to GIO Stadium in Canberra at the family-friendly kick-off time of 7:15pm.
The best way to watch the Plus500 Brumbies in action in the 2020 Super Rugby season is to purchase a Membership.
Plus500 Brumbies memberships are on sale now at https://brumbies.rugby/experience/membership. For membership enquiries contact membership@brumbies.com.au or 1300 228 278.
2020 Plus500 Brumbies Squad
Prop
Allan ALAALATOA
Leslie LEULUAIALII-MAKIN
Harry LLOYD
Tom ROSS
Scott SIO
James SLIPPER
Shambeckler VUI
Hooker
Folau FAINGA’A
Lachlan LONERGAN
Connal MCINERNEY
Lock
Murray DOUGLAS
Blake ENEVER
Nick FROST
Caderyn NEVILLE
Darcy SWAIN
Back Row
Jahrome BROWN
Tom CUSACK
Lachlan MCCAFFREY
Will MILLER
Pete SAMU
Rob VALETINI
Scrumhalf
Issak FINES
Ryan LONERGAN
Joe POWELL
Flyhalf
Bayley KUENZLE
Noah LOLESIO
Reesjan PASITOA
Centre
Len IKITAU
Tevita KURIDRANI
Guy PORTER
Irae SIMONE
Tom WRIGHT
Wing/Fullback
Tom BANKS
Mack HANSEN
Solomone KATA
Andrew MUIRHEAD
Toni PULU
