Following their inspired round 1 victory, our boys return home to host the Western Force - a side including former Brumbies Nic White, Darcy Swain, Sam Carter, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, and Bailey Kuenzle. But this will be no friendly homecoming, with intense competition for a coveted Wallabies berth against the British and Irish Lions later this year likely to produce both a fiery and high-quality encounter.
The Force themselves showed tenacity in scoring a famous victory in the West. Their 84th minute triumph suggested that the WA side will prove difficult to defeat in season 2025 – something Moana Pasifika learned the hard way.
Amongst those leading the charge for the Force will be the towering backrower Nick Champion De Crespingy. The Force look to have unearthed a mighty player whose return from France could not have come at a better time for Australian rugby. His battle with the likes of our own Charlie Cale and Rory Scott look set to play a pivotal role in deciding the match.
Recent history hasn’t been kind to the Force, however. Our men from the capital have established a dominant record over the Western Australians, having prevailed in 10 of their last 11 matchups. Their pre-season trial proved more of the same for the Brumbies, who eventually ran out 45-12 victors – albeit neither side fielded full-strength teams.
Complacency, however, is a word not commonly associated with the Brumbies. Prior history will be perhaps the furthest thing from coach Larkham’s mind as he prepares to welcome back an array of Wallabies superstars to the side.
After the spirited performance of several young stars in Suva, the return of some of the squad’s most established players will look to ensure the strongest possible start to the season. With away games against the Blues and Chiefs on the horizon, the Canberrans will be desperate to extract maximum points from a rare early-season home game.
Despite the difficult early draw, Saturday offers our Brumbies the chance to send a message to not only the Force, but the entire competition. The recent debuts of six Brumbies – combined with the victory in Fiji – will only strengthen the depth of the squad heading forward.
Saturday’s match is also sure to spell the end of the undefeated records of Australian sides in 2025 (pending the result of Friday’s match). After Round 1 victories to the Waratahs, Brumbies and Force, both sides will be eager to remain on pace in an unforgiving competition. While our Fijian trip showcased the true character of our squad, our return to the capital will require a committed support effort from members and fans alike to ensure we kick off the season in style.
Make sure to get down to GIO Stadium on Saturday 22 February to ‘welcome’ the Force in typical Brumbies fashion as we push towards making GIO Stadium a daunting venue for opposition teams in 2025.
All 2025 ACT Brumbies Full Season Members have access to GIO Stadium home games using their 2025 Membership cards. 4 Game Reserved Seat Members can redeem their tickets via Ticketek, while 4 Game General Admission Members can use their card to enter the games of their choice.
Super Rugby Round 2 vs Western Force
Date: Saturday 22 February
Gates Open: 6:00pm
Kick-off: 7:35pm
Parking: Available in stadium parking areas. $10 payment. Early bird is $5, up to 45 minutes prior to kick-off
Brumbies Members, don’t forget your 20% discount on tickets, check the latest email of The Round Up for the discount link, or email membership@brumbies.rugby.
