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Cape Town - Brumbies head coach Dan McKellar has finalised his 2020 squad with 37 players named to take part in the 25th season of Super Rugby action.
There are 10 new signings for Brumbies supporters to look out for, including the latest recruit from NRL outfit Melbourne Storm, Solomone Kata, experienced lock Caderyn Neville, Sydney University Shute Shield skipper Guy Porter and back-rower 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,” McKellar told the Brumbies’ official website.
“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 Australia’s National Rugby Championship, 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,” he 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, November 18 with their Super Rugby campaign commencing on Friday, January 31 with the visit of the Reds to GIO Stadium in Canberra.
Brumbies 2020 Super Rugby squad:
Forwards
Allan Alaalatoa, Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, Harry Lloyd, Tom Ross, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Shambeckler Vui, Folau Fainga’a, Lachlan Lonergan, Connal Mcinerney, Murray Douglas, Blake Enever, Nick Frost, Caderyn Neville, Darcy Swain, Jahrome Brown, Tom Cusack, Lachlan Mccaffrey, Will Miller, Pete Samu, Rob Valetini
Backs
Issak Fines, Ryan Lonergan, Joe Powell, Bayley Kuenzle, Noah Lolesio, Reesjan Pasitoa, Len Ikitau, Tevita Kuridrani, Guy Porter, Irae Simone, Tom Wright, Tom Banks, Mack Hansen, Solomone Kata, Andrew Muirhead, Toni Pulu
