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The Samoan international set for Brumbies comeback after six years away from Super Rugby

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

When the Brumbies run out to face the Western Force in their sole pre-season clash of the year on Tuesday, the reigning Super Rugby AU champions will have a familiar face in their ranks.

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In addition to the seven Wallabies named in Dan McKellar’s starting lineup, the Brumbies will also welcome the return of three-test Manu Samoa international Rod Iona to Canberra’s Viking Park.

The 29-year-old has been named to start in the midfield alongside Len Ikitau, six years after he last featured for the ACT side.

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Iona debuted for the Brumbies in 2014 after receiving a call-up as injury cover for a clash against the Waratahs in what proved to be his only appearance of the season.

The following year, he played a further two times for the Canberra-based franchise before departing to France to join Pro D2 outfit Beziers in 2016.

Stints in Spain, England and with the Western Force followed afterwards, but Iona now finds himself back in the Australian capital after fielding a call from McKellar at the end of last year.

“Pre-season, when I was putting the group together for the November-December block, it was just a pretty young and inexperienced group,” McKellar told reporters on Monday.

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“At that stage, Rod thought he was going to America to play for Utah, so I just offered him the opportunity to come and train. He was excellent for Gordon last year in the Shute Shield and got them to a premiership, so [we] just wanted an experienced voice.

“Worst case scenario, Rod’s headed to America nice and fit and in good shape – always knowing America might not go ahead and that injuries happen in a collision sport and he’d be a good player to have here as cover.

“The boys love him, we all enjoy having him around, he’s a very happy, gregarious character who’s good fun, so really pleased he gets to wear a Brumbies jersey again because it’s probably something he wouldn’t have thought would happen.”

To say that Iona is happy to be back in Brumbies colours is a fair assessment from McKellar, given his new recruit said it was “awesome” be back in a Super Rugby environment.

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“Spent a bit of time in the pre-season with the Brumbies and put in the hard work and it’s all come to life now,” he said.

“Worked pretty hard with the boys for nine weeks fortunately I’ll get a start.”

While it’s been some time since Iona last featured for the Brumbies, he was adamant nothing had changed at the club in the six years he had been gone.

“The place, the culture, everything’s basically the same, it’s just different players, surprisingly. It’s good to see, though.”

It should come as little surprise, then, that Iona has slotted back into the Brumbies camp seamlessly, although he has no expectations of keeping his place in the starting lineup, even if he has impressed upon his return.

“It’s always in the back of my mind, playing Super Rugby again, but just taking care of the ‘now’ and let that take care of itself in the near future.

“That is a goal of mine [getting minutes in Super Rugby] throughout the pre-season now and the game tomorrow, hopefully do a job there and do me justice there.”

The Brumbies take on the Force at 6pm AEDT on Tuesday, before taking on the Western Australian franchise in their Super Rugby AU season-opener at HBF Park in Perth on February 19.

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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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