On the back of their heartbreaking 45-42 round 2 loss, our Brumbies hit the road for a crucial two weeks in New Zealand.
Despite conceding the first 21 points of the match, normal order was seemingly restored when the men from the capital took the lead midway through the second half. However, it wasn’t to prove a winning one for our Brumbies, who eventually succumbed to a gallant Force side at the death.
Attention now shifts to Hamilton, where the first leg of our Kiwi voyage will take place this Saturday. Awaiting our Brumbies is a Chiefs outfit yet to taste defeat in season 2025. Last season’s runners-up, the Chiefs will be desperate to continue their dominant start to the Super Rugby Pacific campaign. With both sides tipped to feature in the finals, the round three clash shapes as an early-season blockbuster.
The Round 2 fortunes of the two sides could scarcely have differed more.
The Chiefs stamped their position as one of the competition’s front-runners following a comprehensive rout of the Crusaders. The two Kiwi wides entered the match in winning form; however, the Chief’s second-half supremacy seemed to send a warning to the rest of the competition.
The Brumbies, it must be noted, have never been ones to shy away from a challenge. A perennial powerhouse in their own right, Larkham’s men will surely take valuable lessons from Saturday’s defeat. With fly-half Noah Lolesio still out, the Canberra outfit will look to improve upon their recent record against the Chiefs. Victory in 3 of their 7 matchups highlights the parallels of the two sides, despite the Waikato men prevailing in the last 3 straight.
The Brumbies – led by skipper Alaalatoa – will be under no illusions as to the challenge in store on Saturday. Perhaps the biggest consideration will be combatting Damian McKenzie, who has played no small role in the Chief’s rise. The mercurial full-back has been at his brilliant best in the opening two rounds, setting up a mouthwatering clash with our own number 15.
Tom Wright – the form player of 2024 – will look to emulate the form that saw him make the Wallabies jersey his own under Joe Schmidt.
The back row match-up also looks set to prove instrumental. Rory Scott, Luke Reimer and Charlie Cale will have the formidable task of mitigating the Chiefs trio of Simon Parker, Jahrome Brown, and Luke Jacobson.
It doesn’t get any easier for our Brumbies next week, with a trip to Auckland to face the defending champions. Crunch time has arrived.
The travel isn’t limited to the men this week, as our women get set to open their SMARTECH Super Rugby Women’s campaign. A trip to Perth to face the Force caps a pivotal weekend for the club.
With the allure of a Women’s Rugby World Cup later in the year, competition for Wallaroos jerseys promises unmatched quality in season 2025. Under new head coach Andy Friend, the Brumbies women look set to take their game to another level this year.
Both sides will be desperate to improve upon last year, when the two of them fell short in the semi-finals.
A four-round season adds importance to every fixture, meaning the result could prove pivotal in the final standings.
With a number of exciting debutants including Merania Paraone, Charlie Brigstocke, and Easter Savelio, the match marks the beginning of a new era for our Brumbies.
Tune in to both matches on Stan Sport, with the men’s kicking off at 2:35pm AEDT and the women’s kicking off at 5:05pm AEDT.
With the boys wearing the 2025 Indigenous Jersey this round, get yours today and members, don’t forget your 10% discount on merchandise.
