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150 cap Brumbies playmaker is bullish about goals: 'The fairytale isn't just to get there, it's to win it'

Brumbies skipper Christian Lealiifano admits it wasn’t so long ago he thought he’d never play again, let alone reach the 150 Super Rugby game milestone.

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Lealiifano was diagnosed with leukemia in August 2016 and underwent chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, before making a remarkable return for the Brumbies less than 12 months later.

The 19-Test Wallaby has been in career-best form this season and led the Brumbies to the Australian conference title.

Lealiifano hasn’t played for the Wallabies since his diagnosis but the five-eighth’s form could see him recalled for Australia’s World Cup campaign in September.

He’ll play in his second Super Rugby final and first since 2013 if the Brumbies win their semi-final against the Jaguares in Bunos Aires on Saturday morning (AEST).

Lealiifano is just the second Brumbies player to reach 150 games behind former Wallabies prop Ben Alexander (154), but the 31-year-old said it’s no more special than every other game since he beat cancer.

“I haven’t thought about it too much. Obviously it’s really special but I don’t really know how to feel or explain it. It’s been a hell of a journey and this is just another exciting game,” Lealiifano said.

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“It’s special but every game after being back is special to me, so this adds to that and I’m still very grateful.

“There’s a lot of people that have gone into my journey, my family first and foremost, then all the players and coaches over the years.

“They’ve all had input in helping me fulfil my dreams and continue to try to be the best player I can be.”

Lealiifano will retire from Super Rugby this year after 12 seasons at the Brumbies and he’s still chasing his first Super Rugby title.

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It would mark a fairytale finish if Lealiifano can deliver the Brumbies their first championship since 2004, before he departs for the Japan Top league .

“The fairytale isn’t just to get there, it’s to win it,” Lealiifano said.

“But for now we’re just focused on getting there. It would be nice to finish on a high but there’s plenty of work to do between now and then.

“Two more to go.”

– AAP

Watch Christian Lealiifano discuss why he left the Brumbies:

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Flankly 1 hour ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

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