It was a significant night for Tom Wright, who brought up his 100th cap for the Brumbies, but it was the Queensland Reds who came away with the chocolates at Suncorp Stadium.
Returning to the same ground where his professional sporting journey began with the Manly Sea Eagles nearly a decade ago, the milestone carried added meaning. Now in just his third game back from an ACL injury, Wright delivered a composed and reliable performance, truly showcasing the consistency and skill that has defined his career to date.
The opening exchanges were physical, quickly turning into a battle of the second rowers, with Lachie Shaw crashing over in the 5th minute to give the Brumbies the early lead, before Lukhan Salakaia-Loto responded just two minutes later to level the scores at 7–7.
The Reds began to take control of the first half, with Harry McLaughlin-Phillips slotting a penalty goal in the 24th minute before Josh Flook finished off a well-weighted kick chase on the stroke of half-time to give the home side a 17–7 lead at the break. Despite the scoreboard pressure, the Brumbies’ defensive effort remained resolute, repeatedly forcing errors and working tirelessly as a unit.
The second half saw momentum swing. Another McLaughlin-Phillips penalty extended the Reds’ lead early, but the Brumbies hit back through Rob Valetini, who powered over in the 44th minute. Ryan Lonergan’s conversion narrowed the gap, before David Feliuai crossed in the 54th minute, handing the Brumbies a 21–20 lead after another successful conversion.
The Reds responded through Seru Uru in the 59th minute, before Ben Volavola added a penalty to extend the lead to 30–21.
The Brumbies continued to fight until the final whistle but were unable to bridge the gap.
While the result didn’t fall the Brumbies way, Wright’s 100th cap was marked by his usual reliability at the back; strong carries, deceptive footwork, a commanding kicking game and aerial presence. Making his mark on the contest in his third game back from injury, once again underlining his value to the side.
The Brumbies return home with everything to play for against the Western Force next Saturday night at GIO stadium.
