The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Toua, Butler keen to stick with Brumbies

Jarrad Butler wants to re-signed with the Brumbies. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
11th April, 2017
0

Off-contract Brumbies duo Aidan Toua and Jarrad Butler want to re-sign with the club as Super Rugby’s player market heats up following the ARU’s decision to axe an Australian Super Rugby franchise.

Fullback Toua wants his contract sorted as soon as possible, with the Western Force or Melbourne Rebels set to be cut from the competition from 2018 as it returns to a 15-team format

“(There’ll be) more competition which is only healthy for Australian rugby but scary at the same time,” Toua said on Tuesday.

While the ARU has asked clubs not to negotiate with non-Wallabies players until after Super Rugby’s overhaul was complete, the decision to cut a side means less places for more players in Australia.

“When you go home at the end of the day it might come into your thoughts – ‘if the team gets cut who’s going to come on to the market?’,” Toua said.

“Then when we come into training it’s just all about footy and preparing for the game on the weekend.

“You don’t really think about those sort of things and you try to block it out as much as you can.”

Coach Stephen Larkham is in his final year with the Brumbies before he takes up a full-time position with the Wallabies, but who his successor is won’t change Toua’s mind about re-signing.

Advertisement

“They’ll obviously bring in new ideas but in terms of the team culture and cohesion I don’t think it’ll have that much of an effect,” Toua said.

Butler made his 50th Brumbies appearance in Saturday night’s victory over the Queensland Reds, scoring a try to mark the occasion.

“I love being in Canberra, I love playing for the Brumbies,” Butler said.

“Best case scenario I get to stay here.”

But he admits the inflated player market is worrying for players out of contract.

“I think it’s a little bit of a concern for everybody,” Butler said.

“It’s going to be a tough year for a lot of guys in Australian rugby.”

Advertisement
close