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Wallabies star returns to Brumbies training camp ahead of 10th Super Rugby campaign

(Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)

The Brumbies have welcomed the return of star prop Scott Sio to their pre-season training camp, just over three weeks out from the start of the new Super Rugby AU season.

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Returning to Canberra after having to self-isolate for a fortnight after getting caught up in Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak in recent weeks, Sio made it clear he was glad to be back ahead of his side’s season-opener against the Force on February 19.

“I think a lot of teams will have to deal with similar problems, so we’ve just got to adapt and adjust as best we can,” he said on Monday.

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“I feel like we’ve done that, and they’ve [his teammates] have integrated us well in the last week back into training, so hopefully we can amp things up a bit this week for a lot of us that were stuck in quarantine the last few days.”

Sio brings with him an extra sense of excitement to the Brumbies set-up, because should he takes to the field at HBF Park in Perth, he will kick-off his 10th season of Super Rugby.

The 29-year-old has spent all of those years with the Brumbies since debuting in 2012, and he said plenty has changed since he embarked on his first pre-season with the reigning Super Rugby AU champions.

“They’re obviously a lot shorter nowadays,” he said.

“Back then, we were running eight-to-10 week pre-seasons, so it’s a lot better. There’s a lot of running in those eight-to-10 weeks, especially if you’re in ‘Fat Club’, you’re pretty much training everyday.

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“There’s been a lot of focus on having a point of difference for each team and what area we can keep improving on as a squad.

“Trying to condense everything into a four or five-week block is the norm nowadays, and it seems to be going well for the Brumbies at the moment.”

Despite the shortened pre-season training camps, Sio maintained that players these days seem to be in better physical condition compared to when he first came through the ranks.

“Everyone seems to be getting fitter every time I rejoin the squad, but it’s good. It’s a new feeling.

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“You roll in, the team changes from year to year with new challenges and new players, so more than anything I just look forward to coming back and meeting new faces and catching up with old faces.”

There are nine new faces in the Brumbies squad this year for Sio to meet, including returning Wallabies halfback Nic White.

Sio been playing alongside the scrumhalf in the Wallabies set-up over the past two years, after having already played three season of international rugby between 2013 and 2015 prior to White’s defection to Europe.

It’s that international experience that Sio will call upon for the Brumbies, especially after last year’s unorthodox international season that saw the Wallabies play four consecutive tests against the All Blacks and host the entire Tri-Nations campaign.

“[It was] a lot to deal with with the challenging times we had, but it was a good opportunity to still represent our country and perform well for the Wallabies,” the 68-test prop said.

“It’s always an opportunity to try and take things from there and see if it can work for us at the Brumbies as well.”

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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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