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'Definitely off the back of three losses, the boys are looking at their own games'

(Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images)

Drained after a mentally and physically taxing three-match tour of New Zealand, the Brumbies are hoping their homecoming to Canberra proves the spark that finally ignites their Super Rugby Trans-Tasman campaign.

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Successive losses to the Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues have left the Super Rugby AU runners-up languishing in third-last spot above only fellow winless strugglers the NSW Waratahs and Western Force.

The Brumbies host the Hurricanes on Friday night at GIO Stadium and skipper Allan Alaalatoa says his homesick side couldn’t return quick enough to the national capital, even in winter.

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“It feels really good, especially to be back at home and in your own bed. It’s been awesome,” Alaalatoa said after Friday’s captain’s run.

“The tour was tough but you come back to normality and everything feels normal again – the way the week goes, the way the boys prepare outside of what they do here at work.

“So it’s been great and the boys have created a great vibe this week and making sure that we’re doing everything we can to make sure we get a win tomorrow.”

After pushing the Crusaders to within two points in their tournament opener, the Brumbies fell away badly in heavy losses to the Chiefs and Blues.

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“It was pretty disappointing and the reviews have been honest so all that matters tomorrow is making sure the boys back all that chat up with action,” Alaalatoa said.

“Definitely off the back of three losses, the boys are looking at their own games individually.”

The undefeated Hurricanes are on track to make the final, sitting second behind only the Blues, after finishing last in the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition.

But the Brumbies are quietly confident of springing an upset against a side as capable of leaking points as scoring them, as evident in their 64-48 win over the Waratahs.

“They’re definitely a side with a lot spark, similar to a lot of Kiwi sides. They’ve got a lot of great indivi dual ball carriers, their captain’s back in Ardie (Sa vea), who obviously lifts their team when he’s on the field,” Alaalatoa said.

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“But we’ve seen some opportunities which we can explore and we only have a couple of weeks together and we want to finish on a high.”

In Saturday’ s only other game, the winless Waratahs play the Highlanders in Dunedin feeling as hungry as the Brumbies for a breakthrough after also going the entire Super Rugby AU season without posting a victory.

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R
RedWarrior 1 hour ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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