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Brumbies bring back top performers to face Crusaders on title anniversary

Noah Lolesio of the Brumbies celebrates the victory during the round six Super Rugby Pacific match between Queensland Reds and ACT Brumbies at Suncorp Stadium, on March 30, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

The Brumbies have been adamant about not taking the 11th-placed Crusaders lightly as they host the struggling reigning champs in Canberra in round 13.

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The heavyweights will have some special guests in attendance this week as the 2004 champions come together to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their final triumph over the Crusaders.

The team are excited by the opportunity to add another of their own positive chapter to the rivalry with the perennial champs.

“Every week, whoever comes up against the Crusaders, the first thing they say is they aren’t actually taking any notice of where they’re sitting on the ladder,” fullback Tom Wright said.

“The strike power they’ve got and the respect they’ve earned over the years, they have the ability to hurt you whether they’re 20-nil up or 20-nil down.

“The Crusaders are a big club in this competition and have been for a long time.”

James Slipper returns to the starting XV for the contest, joining Connal McInerney and captain Allan Alaalatoa in the front row.

Nick Frost will shift to the blindside flank for a change, making way for a second-row partnership of Darcy Swain and Cadeyrn Neville.

Frost will be joined by Jahrome Brown on the openside flank and Rob Valentini at No. 8.

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Looking to play on top of that strong forward pack will be halfback Ryan Lonergan, who lines up inside returning Wallaby Noah Lolesio who enjoyed a rest week in round 12.

Form midfield partnership Tamati Tua and Len Ikitau retain their starting roles and will be looking to get the lethal pace of their back three involved in the contest.

Ollie Sapsford and Andy Muirhead are set to don the No. 11 and 14 jerseys respectively while Tom Wright will wear his familiar No. 15.

The bench features some firepower in Wallaby Tom Hooper, as well as round 12 starter Jack Debreczeni. Outside of those changes, the bench remains as it was last weekend.

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Brumbies team to face the Crusaders

  1. James Slipper
  2. Connal McInerney
  3. Allan Alaalatoa (c)
  4. Darcy Swain
  5. Cadeyrn Neville
  6. Nick Frost
  7. Jahrome Brown
  8. Rob Valetini
  9. Ryan Lonergan
  10. Noah Lolesio
  11. Ollie Sapsford
  12. Tamati Tua
  13. Len Ikitau
  14. Andy Muirhead
  15. Tom Wright

Reserves

16. Liam Bowron
17. Rhys van Nek
18. Sosefo Kautai
19. Tom Hooper
20. Luke Reimer
21. Harrison Goddard
22. Jack Debreczeni
23. Ben O’Donnell

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AN 434 days ago

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Soliloquin 2 hours ago
Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

I don’t know the financial story behind the changes that were implemented, but I guess clubs started to lose money, Mourad Boudjellal won it all with Toulon, got tired and wanted to invest in football , the French national team was at its lowest with the QF humiliation in 2015 and the FFR needed to transform the model where no French talent could thrive. Interestingly enough, the JIFF rule came in during the 2009/2010 season, so before the Toulon dynasty, but it was only 40% of the players that to be from trained in French academies. But the crops came a few years later, when they passed it at the current level of 70%.

Again, I’m not a huge fan of under 18 players being scouted and signed. I’d rather have French clubs create sub-academies in French territories like Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and other places that are culturally closer to RU and geographically closer to rugby lands. Mauvaka, Moefana, Taofifenua bros, Tolofua bros, Falatea - they all came to mainland after starting their rugby adventure back home.

They’re French, they come from economically struggling areas, and rugby can help locally, instead of lumping foreign talents.

And even though many national teams benefit from their players training and playing in France, there are cases where they could avoid trying to get them in the French national team (Tatafu).

In other cases, I feel less shame when the country doesn’t believe in the player like in Meafou’s case.

And there are players that never consider switching to the French national team like Niniashvili, Merckler or even Capuozzo, who is French and doesn’t really speak Italian.

We’ll see with Jacques Willis 🥲


But hey, it’s nothing new to Australia and NZ with PI!

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LONG READ Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us