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Wallabies veteran returns for Brumbies ahead of Sunwolves clash in Wollongong

(Photo by Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has named Ryan Lonergan and Toni Pulu for their first starts of 2020 when the side clashes with the Sunwolves in Wollongong on Friday.

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Lonergan will wear the No. 9 jersey for the first time at Super Rugby level, partnering Noah Lolesio who has started at flyhalf in every match so far this season.

Pulu returned to the match day 23 in the side’s win against the Chiefs in New Zealand and will be joined in the back three by damaging ball runner Solomone Kata and fullback Tom Banks.

Continue reading below…

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In the midfield, Irae Simone and Tevita Kuridrani will continue to build on their combination, named in the centres together for the fourth time this year.

Up front, Scott Sio returns to the starting XV alongside skipper Allan Alaalatoa and Connal McInerney who will wear the number two jersey for the second match in a row.

The rest of the pack remains unchanged with Murray Douglas and Cadeyrn Neville to continue their second row partnership and Will Miller, Rob Valetini and Pete Samu in the back row.

Last round’s debutant Lachlan Lonergan is in line for his second Brumbies cap from the pine, joined by James Slipper and Tom Ross as the front row replacements.

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Darcy Swain and Tom Cusack make their first appearances in the match day squad since round two for the clash at WIN Stadium.

Joe Powell will add some spark as replacement halfback with rookie Reesjan Pasitoa and the versatile Tom Wright the other backline finishers.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said: “We’re really excited for Ryan and Toni.  Ryan’s been superb for us at the back end of games so far this year and has earned his first start at Super Rugby level.”

“Toni was really impressive against the Chiefs in Hamilton and brings a lot of experience to our squad.

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“The Sunwolves are a really dangerous team and we’re not reading into their recent results, they got a good win over the Rebels at the start of the season and we’re certainly expecting a tough game on Friday.

“We’re looking forward to getting up to Wollongong for what’s become a Super Rugby double header and to seeing plenty of our supporters at the game on Friday.”

BRUMBIES ROUND SIX TEAM

1. Scott Sio
2. Connal McInerney
3. Allan Alaalatoa (c)
4. Murray Douglas
5. Cadeyrn Neville
6. Rob Valetini
7. Will Miller
8. Pete Samu
9. Ryan Lonergan
10. Noah Lolesio
11. Toni Pulu
12. Irae Simone
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Solomone Kata
15. Tom Banks

REPLACEMENTS

16. Lachlan Lonergan
17. James Slipper
18. Tom Ross
19. Darcy Swain
20. Tom Cusack
21. Joe Powell
22. Reesjan Pasitoa
23. Tom Wright

– Brumbies Rugby

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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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