The Brumbies have confirmed their squad for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, which kicks-off on Friday 18 February in Auckland against Moana Pasifika.
The club will enter the new competition with 26 of the club’s 2021 squad returning for this season as well as head coach Dan McKellar and assistant coaches, Laurie Fisher and Rod Seib.
Three capped Brumbies will return to the club’s Super Rugby squad in fullback Jesse Mogg, playmaker Rod Iona and tighthead prop Sefo Kautai.
Mogg made 60 appearances in Brumbies colours from 2012 to 2015 and made his Wallabies debut against the British and Irish Lions in 2013.
Iona, a Samoan international, made his debut for the Brumbies in 2014 having come through the club’s pathways program. Kautai joined the club as injury cover in 2021, making his first appearance just five days after arriving in Canberra.
There are also five new additions to the club for the 2022 season; Backrower Ed Kennedy, Midfielders Chris Feauai-Sautia, Ollie Sapsford and Hudson Creighton, and outside back Cam Clark.
Kennedy grew up in Goulburn as a Brumbies fan and made 34 appearances for the Scarlets in Wales.
Wallaby Chris Feauai-Sautia scored 22 tries in 81 Super Rugby appearances for the Queensland Reds, while Hudson Creighton made his professional debut for the Reds in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman this year.
Sapsford, who is Australian-qualified, has been playing with Hawke’s Bay in New Zealand’s National Provincial competition for the past three seasons while Cam Clark makes the shift to the Brumbies having had an outstanding season with San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby, the flyer having also played 35 times for the NSW Waratahs.
Finally, Brumby #234 Fred Kaihea graduates from the club’s pathways program to join the full-time Super Rugby squad in 2022, the loosehead prop having made his debut in 2021 as mid-season injury cover.
There is a good blend of youth and experience in the 35-player squad, 16 being 25 years old or younger and 19 being over the age of 25.
Halfback Lachie Albert, Sapsford and Kennedy are the three potential Super Rugby debutants in the group, with 10 of the squad having played 50 or more Super Rugby games.
Five of the squad grew up in the ACT; Connal McInerney, Rory Scott, Tom Ross and the Lonergan brothers, Ryan and Lachlan. Kaihea is also a product of Erindale College.
23 of the 35 players made their Super Rugby debut in Brumbies colours, 19 having graduated through the Brumbies pathways program.
18 members of the Brumbies 2022 squad have been in the Wallabies environment this year, with 14 having worn Australian gold, including international debuts for Brumbies pathways products Connal McInerney, Lachlan Lonergan, Darcy Swain and Len Ikitau.
Plus500 Brumbies head coach, Dan McKellar said it should be an exciting season for Brumbies fans with plenty of improvement in the squad.
“We’re in a really good place with our squad heading into an exciting year for us at the Brumbies and for supporters of Southern Hemisphere rugby.”
“I think if you look at the amount of guys in that group who are in and around the Wallabies environment already, a lot of them still have room to grow which is exciting for us at the Brumbies.
“We have a number of experienced Test players and young internationals, coupled with some guys in their second or third year at Super Rugby level which gives us confidence we have what it takes to compete with the best.
“We’ve also brought in some experienced players who are knew to the Brumbies who will compete and add to our depth.
“It’s a really exciting year with the introduction of Super Rugby Pacific and if we put in the work, and take our opportunity in preseason to get better, we’ll put ourselves in a position to make it a memorable year.”
Brumbies Super Rugby Pacific Squad 2022
PROP
Allan Alaalatoa, 27, (Uni-Norths Owls)
Fred Kaihea, 22, (Queanbeyan Whites)
Sefo Kautai, 25, (Canberra Royals)
Tom Ross, 23, (Gungahlin Eagles)
James Slipper, 32, (Queanbeyan Whites)
Scott Sio, 30, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
HOOKER
Folau Fainga’a, 26, (Wests Lions)
Lachlan Lonergan, 22, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
Connal McInerney, 26, (Canberra Royals)
Billy Pollard, 19, (Uni-Norths Owls)
LOCK
Nick Frost, 22, (Queanbeyan Whites)
Tom Hooper, 20, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
Cadeyrn Neville, 33, (Uni-Norths Owls)
Darcy Swain, 24, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
BACKROW
Jahrome Brown, 25, (Gungahlin Eagles)
Ed Kennedy, 27, (Canberra Royals)
Luke Reimer, 21, (Wests Lions)
Pete Samu, 29, (Gungahlin Eagles)
Rory Scott, 21, (Canberra Royals)
Rob Valetini, 23, (Wests Lions)
SCRUM-HALF
Lachie Albert, 20, (Wests Lions)
Ryan Lonergan, 23, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
Nic White, 31, (Queanbeyan Whites)
FLYHALF
Rodney Iona, 30, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
Noah Lolesio, 21, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
CENTRE
Hudson Creighton, 22, (Queanbeyan Whites)
Chris Feauai-Sautia, 28, (Gungahlin Eagles)
Len Ikitau, 23, (Tuggeranong Vikings)
Irae Simone, 26, (Uni-Norths Owls)
Ollie Sapsford, 26, (TBC)
OUTSIDE-BACK
Tom Banks, 27, (Uni-Norths Owls)
Cam Clark, 28, (Gungahlin Eagles)
Jesse Mogg, 32, (Wests Lions)
Andy Muirhead, 28, (Canberra Royals)
Tom Wright, 24, (Wests Lions)
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