Australia U20s captain Toby Macpherson makes Japan switch on loan

Australia U20s captain Toby Macpherson will rub shoulders with some of the world’s best after signing a unique loan deal with Japanese juggernauts Toyota Verblitz. The lock will return to the ACT Brumbies in June next year, having committed to the club for 2026 and 2027.

Macpherson captained Australia at this year’s inaugural U20 Rugby Championship on the Sunshine Coast and later the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa. The youngster was recently named the Junior Men’s Player of the Year at the Rugby Australia Awards.

With so much potential and no doubt a bright future ahead of him, Macpherson has made the decision to head offshore for a season after signing with Toyota Verblitz. The second-rower will spend the 2024/25 campaign in Japan before returning to Australia.

Toyota Verblitz is a club that boasts genuine star power, with All Blacks great Aaron Smith, Springbok Pieter-Steph du Toit, and former NRL star Joey Manu among the playing ranks. Former All Blacks coaches Ian Foster and Sir Steve Hansen are also involved in the management staff.

With the Brumbies formally announcing the move on Friday - wishing the rising star “the best of luck” for the opportunity - the Australian rugby community will no doubt monitor this move closely as Macpherson looks to develop his game at the world-class club.

“I’m super excited to join Toyota Verblitz,” Macpherson said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to meeting all the Verblitz supporters, learning about Japan’s amazing culture, and growing even more through my experience with the Toyota Verblitz players and coaches.

“I look forward to working with you all.”

In the first-ever U20 Rugby Championship, Macpherson started all three matches at No. 4 lock. The skipper played the entire 80 minutes in those fixtures, which included a tense 25-36 loss to New Zealand U20s in a title decider at Sunshine Coast Stadium.

Macpherson backed that up by starting every match at the U20 Championship in Cape Town, which included a try during a 69-minute shift in a win over Wales U20s. Australia beat Georgia, lost to both Italy and Argentina in their other matche that went ahead.