Departing Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham says the club’s future is bright despite their quarter-final Super Rugby defeat.
Brumbies star Christian Lealiifano was denied a fairytale comeback in the 35-16 loss, but he will be one of the most important aspects of their push to go one better next season.
After making an inspirational return less than a year after being diagnosed with leukaemia, Lealiifano is set to resume as the Brumbies’ chief playmaker, pushing Wharenui Hawera to second in the pecking order after a solid debut season.
Wallabies flanker David Pocock will return from a sabbatical to boost a back row which loses Scott Fardy to Leinster.
Pocock is set to rejoin the Australian conference champions after they exceeded expectations in 2017.
“I think they said that we were going to come fourth in the Australian conference,” Larkham said.
“We certainly achieved a few things this year and put ourselves in a really strong position for next year.
“Some guys are moving on from the squad this year but we’ll get some new faces in there.”
Flanker Chris Alcock, halfback Tomas Cubelli, fullback Aidan Toua as well as backrowers Jarrad Butler and Jordan Smiler will also leave the club.
Incoming coach Dan McKellar has been promoted to the job after five seasons in an assistant’s role.
He will have former head coach Laurie Fisher alongside him next year and ending New Zealand’s dominance of Australian sides will be a priority after falling short to the Hurricanes in Canberra on Friday night.
Young fullback Tom Banks was the Brumbies’ find of the season, with his pace and footwork shining throughout the back half of the year.
Joe Powell earned himself his first Wallabies cap after taking over at halfback with Cubelli sidelined until after the June Test break with a knee injury.
“We’ve had a number of guys play for the Brumbies for the first time,” Larkham said.
“We can certainly be very proud of what we’ve achieved.”
The Brumbies finished with just six wins but were clearly the best Australian team after a diabolical year for the Super Rugby franchises.
They will need to improve to catch up to the Kiwis, who won all 26 trans-Tasman matches.
MitchO
Guest
The Canes forward pack is suspect. The Brumbies forwards all did pretty well and they do have Sio, Alan A, Scott Fardy, Mann Rae, Arnold, Carter and Alcock. That is maybe 5/8 guys up to test standard. Mann Rae and Carter are doing their job. That leaves the weaker links being Smiler and the other guy (name I forgot). Very decent super level forward pack. Hewa at 10 had a good game and Speight and TK are good players as is Powell. TJP was hugely impressive though. The departures are going to hurt but the Brumbies still have a core to keep them mid table at worst.
Republican
Guest
........it is reflective of the code here in Australia moreso than being a Canberra thing. I won't accept any not so subtle scapegoating of Canberra although it is not un expected when coming from those under siege WA and Vic supporters of the code, most of whom are expat Kiwis anyway.
piru
Roar Rookie
key word being 2018! It's not rocket science is it, Brumbies scored the same number of wins and more Bonus Points - Incidentally this is exactly what Bonus Points are supposed to do, separate teams on the same number of wins. Hard luck to your boys - but they deserved their final
Fionn
Guest
As it is, Piru, I would say that the Force probably have to be the favourites to top the conference in 2018.
piru
Roar Rookie
There's a very simple way to determine who was the best team in a conference. Do you want to guess who it was? edit: posted before your comment appeared Fionn
Fionn
Guest
Nonsense, they played similarly to the Brumbies, based off of set piece and defence. Like the Brumbies the attack was sometimes lacking, but they did the basics well. The Brumbies had, in my opinion, the worst team in paper and I picked them to finish last in the conference, they ended up finishing on top. That's rubbish that they would have provided more vs the Canes, the Force were blown away for more often than the Brumbies were. People are overestimating the Force's achievements (and they did achieve a lot) because they showed the biggest improvement. The Brumbies, however, had their team decimated since 2015, and played much better this year than they did last year when you consider the team they had. They also beat the Force. Take the anti-Brumbies blinkers that everyone in SR seems to suffer from (because they are traditionally the best attacking Australian team) and look at their results over the year – the Brumbies were the better team, but the Force were very close behind them.
piru
Roar Rookie
Sorry mate - if the Force got a final I'm confident we'd sell NIB out. Guess we'll find out next year
R2D2
Guest
9 K is a disappointing crowd. I think the Brumbies supporters might have been a bit embarrassed about getting a home quarter final.
Brizvegas
Guest
9k crowd sums it up. I was laughing at the Brumbies lineout where they held the player up for so long i thought he was going to get nose bleed where they were hoping for at least a penalty or even a yellow card and the ref commented on the length of time he was held in the air . Astronauts are up in space for similar periods of time what a hoot lol. The Para v Wests game had 30k in attendance for a club game.
kerrywd
Republican, with respect, a 9k crowd at a 1/4 final and final game for the club's coach and probably greatest player after 20yrs or so with the club and final game for other long-serving players and the unbelievable come back game for ChristianL (and the chance to see last year's World Rugby Player of the Year) does not scream "Rugby Heartland". I'm sorry, but it is more than disappointing. It is embarrassing.
Republican
Guest
.............on a per cap basis, Perth and Melbourne would fair worse and they are entrenched in Australian Footy which makes the ARU's job almost untenable. Canberra is a true Union heartland while this pedigree was reinforced at the GR just this month, the ACT taking out the Australian Schools title. Not bad for a city of only 400K plus. Of course we can expect the insatiable self entitled cities of Perth and Melbourne to dummy spit all the way to the grave; so be it.........
Republican
Guest
......9k or there abouts. Compounds Australia's ongoing disaffection for this game........
kerrywd
What was the crowd number for the game? I didn't hear the gate announced during the commentary. There looked to be more unoccupied than occupied seats in the stands. For a quarter-final! How is a Superugby team justified in Canberra ahead of Perth? And even ahead of Melbourne? It can't based on the quarter-final attendance. Surely the Force must be retained given Perth's strategic location and the growth potential for the game in Perth that is being realised. May be a Melbourne club can play two or more of their home games in Canberra, or vice versa?
stagman
Guest
They were the only team to try and play enterprising rugby, they developed players, they worked through the tough times when with basically no support from the ARU and came through at the end of the season as "a genuine team" playing the best rugby of Aus team. No other Aus team made anywhere near the improvements that the Force have made in 2017. You are correct, they came 2nd of the Aus teams, but they would have provided plenty more than the Brumbies did in the game against the Canes. I am not a Force supporter and if you take your blinkers off, you'll see it too.
Fionn
Guest
Sorry, if the Force was the best Aussie team how come they finished below them on the ladder?
Stagman
Guest
Gatesy, please get your eyes checked and maybe even read a book about rugby. The Brumbies may have won the Aus conference, but they were absolutely useless. It was only the rubbish SR finals set up that gave rugby veiwers 1 more chance to see them play rubbish again. The best Aus team was the Force. They played the best rugby of any Aus team, FULL STOP!!!! As for Larkham, what a joke. Since he took over as head coach, Brumbies rugby has gone backwards. They will be better off without him.
Bakkies
Guest
Falling in tackles is irrelevant how many times do people have to be told this? It is like this year never happened. Kiwis have just got to stop tackling around the neck then the cards won't be issued. Kaino two yellows in two consecutive matches for high tackles he is better than that
gatesy
Roar Guru
A top bunch of lads, and we can only improve - losing some good'uns, but getting Christian and Poey back is a great thing. Don't know much about Dan McKellar, but he has been around for a few years and he is obviously highly rated - magnificent to see Laurie back - he is more than just a coach, he is also a great mentor, and everytime he comes back, he brings more knowledge - Bernie will, no doubt stay in touch. The Club just goes from strength to strength, and I can see another win not too far away. Go the Brums!! We are seriously proud of everything you did this season.
Republican
Guest
........its not about being positive or negative Fionn, its about facing reality because denial only perpetuates the ground hog day ie Australian Rugby - and none moreso than when we V NZ. Its called false hope. With all respect, fixtures involving any NZ side v us, have been void of anticipation and as exciting as watching the grass grow for a very long time now. We are overexposed to NZ fixtures in all trans Tasman codes in my humble opinion..............
Jacko
Guest
Totally agree re the Cards thing. Its getting rediculous. The tackler did zero to contribute to the situation apart from be where he was. The commentators were funny about the in the air tackle as they went looking for a Canes player then said no penalty because no canes player involved. Crazy Crazy Crazy...Also the clean-out is far worse than anything any tacklers do yet its encouraged...The other thing that annoys me more and more is the TMO being all chummy with the Ref...They can be mates all they like once the job is done but PLEASE be respectful in their comments to each other when on duty. Surely the use of nicknames can wait untill a social situation rather than a professional one