ACT Brumbies Head Coach Stephen Larkham has named his squad for the club’s first trial match of the 2026 season, with the Brumbies set to face the Western Force in Perth on Friday, January 30. 

The match represents the first opportunity to see the 2026 editionof the Brumbies, with a number of younger players earning valuable minutes as they push for Round 1 selection ahead of the Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific season opener on February 14 — also against the Force in Perth. 

Props Lington Leli and Rhys van Nek will bookend the scrum, both earning the chance to impress after spending time with Australia A in recent years. The pair step into the starting side with Brumbies mainstays James Slipper rested and Allan Alaalatoa managing an injury. 

Chris Mickelson gets the nod at hooker after a standout year in the John I Dent Cup, where he claimed the Macdougall Medal as the competition’s best player. 

The locking combination of Harvey Cordukes and Lachlan Shaw will pack down together, with the towering duo looking to build on promising 2025 seasons and continue their development at Super Rugby level. 

Backrow bruisers Tuaina Taii Tualima, Rory Scott, and Charlie Cale combine physicality, work rate and attacking threat on both sides of the ball.  

In the halves, Klayton Thorn will start at scrumhalf and partner new recruit Tane Edmed [pictured], who begins his life in the nation’s capital getting his first opportunity to don the Brumbies colours ahead of the 2026 campaign. 

The outside backs see Kye Oates and Shane Wilcox named on the wings. Oates, a proud Nunukul, Ngughi and Goenpul man, was last year selected in the inaugural First Nations & Pasifika XV to take on the British & Irish Lions. 

In the midfield, fellow First Nations & Pasifika XV rep, Jarrah Macleod continues his rapid rise through the rugby ranks and will look to impress Head Coach Stephen Larkham alongside the ever-reliable Hudson Creighton at outside centre.  

At fullback, Declan Meredith showcases his versatility by shifting from his usual fly-half role to the backfield, providing the Brumbies with dual playmaking options. Meredith starts at 15 with star fullback Tom Wright continuing his recovery from injury. 

The trial match will be live-streamed via the Western Force Facebook page, giving fans their first look at the Brumbies in action this season. 

ACT Brumbies v Western Force – Trial Match 

Date: Thursday, January 30 

Time: 7.35PM AEDT

Location: Scotch College Playing Fields, Swanbourne 

Live Stream: Western Force Facebook   

ACT Brumbies team to play Western Force 

LOOSEHEAD PROP – Lington Ieli  

HOOKER – Chris Mickelson  

TIGHTHEAD PROP – Rhys van Nek  

LEFT LOCK – Lachlan Shaw  

RIGHT LOCK – Harvey Cordukes  

LEFT FLANKER – Tuaina Tualima  

RIGHT FLANKER – Rory Scott  

NUMBER EIGHT – Charlie Cale  

SCRUMHALF – Klayton Thorn  

FLYHALF – Tane Edmed  

LEFT WING – Kye Oates  

INSIDE CENTRE – Jarrah McLeod  

OUTSIDE CENTRE – Hudson Creighton  

RIGHT WING – Shane Wilcox  

FULLBACK – Declan Meredith 

Replacements 

Liam Bowron  

Blake Schoupp  

Tevita Alatini  

Cadeyrn Neville  

Eli Langi  

Dan Nelson  

Andy Muirhead  

Kadin Pritchard  

Moses Sorovi  

Austin Anderson  

Toby Macpherson  

Judah Saumaisue  

Darcy Breen