Ladies and gentlemen of Canberra, be upstanding, raise your glasses and tip your caps to recognise YOUR ACT Brumbies scrum-half Ryan Lonergan, who was named in the 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby Team of the Year.
No one embodies Brumbies rugby quite like Lonergan. Consistently underestimated but never outworked, the homegrown No.9 has spent years letting his performances do the talking. Gritty, clinical and relentlessly dependable, he has honed his craft to become one of Super Rugby's premier scrum-halves.
The honour caps an exceptional season, one that included his 100th appearance in Brumbies colours and rewarded a campaign built on composure, consistency and leadership.
Growing up on a farm, the 28-year-old learned early that nothing worth having comes easy. That blue-collar mentality has followed him throughout his rugby journey and is stitched into every performance.
And in 2026, there was no denying his class.
The stats alone make a compelling case. Lonergan finished the regular season as Super Rugby's leading point scorer with 107 points, including five tries of his own. His crisp service was unmatched, leading the competition with an extraordinary 97% pass accuracy, while his sharp vision and pinpoint distribution created nine tries for his teammates.
When the pressure intensified, so too did Lonergan.
As theBrumbies fought through the back half of the season, their scrum-half became the steady hand and cool head in the locker room. From Round 8 onwards, he kicked at 90% from the tee, piling on 82 points to repeatedly keep his team in the fight.
His influence wasn't confined to attack. Lonergan threw himself into the opposition, putting shots on that belie his size, making 93 tackles and forcing five turnovers.
The stats explain why Lonergan was selected in the Team of the Year. They don't explain why he has become so important to the Brumbies.
When Allan Alaalatoa was sidelined through injury, the captain's armband found a natural home. Under Lonergan's leadership, the Brumbies claimed memorable victories over the Crusaders, Chiefs, Blues and Highlanders, while a new generation of players found confidence playing alongside their experienced 9.
Alongside his brother Lachlan, Lonergan represents everything the Brumbies pathway stands for. From Tuggeranong Vikings to Brumbies centurion, his rise has been built not on hype, but on hard work, humility and an unwavering commitment to getting better.
Now firmly established as one of the competition's elite scrum-halves, the Canberra product has both eyes fixed on adding to his Wallabies career after making his long-awaited Test debut last year.
Ask anyone in Canberra, though, and they'll tell you they've known his quality for years. While the rest of Super Rugby has recognised Ryan Lonergan, Brumbies fans have known exactly what they've had in their scrum-half all along.
Congratulations, Ryan. A thoroughly deserved honour.
