Super Rugby isn\u2019t won in autumn, but the Wallabies should not ignore the Brumbies\u2019 unbeaten start against New Zealand opposition in 2026 by the time Ireland arrives Down Under in early July.<\/p>\n
The Brumbies were nowhere near their best against the Highlanders in Dunedin, but Stephen Larkham\u2019s men eked out another important win to ensure they kept their top two ambitions alive.<\/p>\n
The 14-10 victory was their fourth straight win over New Zealand opposition in two months, having earlier smashed the Crusaders in Christchurch 50-24, before leaving it late to beat the Blues 30-27 and Damian McKenzie\u2019s Chiefs 33-24.<\/p>\n
Now, the Brumbies<\/a> only need to beat the Hurricanes on Anzac Day on day two of Super Round in Christchurch later this month to secure an extraordinary full house.<\/p>\n While the scalps won\u2019t mean much if they lose in the play-offs later this year, the run of victories over New Zealand<\/a> opposition showed that they have the tools to succeed against the very best.<\/p>\n That shouldn\u2019t be forgotten by the time selectors pick the next Wallabies<\/a> squad because New Zealand\u2019s Super Rugby<\/a> sides have long been the standard bearers.<\/p>\n Interestingly, though, few of the Brumbies are considered walk-up starters.<\/p>\n Allan Alaalatoa is one, but the tighthead prop only returned last weekend.<\/p>\n Full-back Tom Wright has yet to play a minute of rugby this season but should be back this weekend, while lock Nick Frost, who started against the Highlanders, wasn\u2019t selected for the opening month because he was out of form and out of shape.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, loose-forward Rob Valetini is the only other genuine Test starter, while loosehead prop James Slipper has, for now, retired from the international games.<\/p>\n Hooker Billy Pollard is another who has been a Wallabies regular recently, but the rest of the side is hardly filled with locked-and-loaded Test starters.<\/p>\n Indeed, half-back Ryan Lonergan was reluctantly used by Joe Schmidt last year. Ditto Corey Toole, who was finally given a chance last year after being overlooked in 2024 by Schmidt. While Blake Schoupp, who debuted in 2023, hasn\u2019t played a Test since the World Cup, having endured two injury-disrupted years.<\/p>\n Top Test ref backs Super Rugby innovations but convincing \u2018purists\u2019 and World Rugby the \u2018challenge\u2019 as factions emerge<\/a><\/p>\n Rising back-rower Charlie Cale is another who missed last year\u2019s Test season because of injury and has a couple of big names to try and leapfrog. While Luke Reimer, the ever dependable and consistent match-winner, hasn\u2019t been in the picture for the Wallabies since the 2024 Rugby Championship either.<\/p>\n Versatile back-rower Rory Scott has yet to earn a Test call-up, and that extends to fly-half Declan Meredith, centre David Feliuai, and versatile backs Ollie Sapsford and Andy Muirhead.<\/p>\n In many ways, it\u2019s a champion team rather than a team of champions.<\/p>\n But should more of the Brumbies be knocking on the matchday 23?<\/p>\n It\u2019s certainly something to consider, because while others might provide more X-factor, the Brumbies know how to win \u2013 and at the end of the day, that\u2019s all that matters.<\/p>\n Enforcer\u2019s time is now<\/p>\n The Queensland Reds<\/a> might have made the quarter-finals over the past few years, but realistically, they\u2019ve hardly fired a shot.<\/p>\n Last year, the Reds were never really in the hunt against the Crusaders, while 12 months earlier, they were physically made to look second-rate by the Chiefs. That\u2019s where Salakaia-Loto must step up.<\/p>\n When Michael Cheika was in charge, the Reds\u2019 hardman was a bruising blindside flanker who tried to whack people on the fringes and was useful at the lineout.<\/p>\n Recently, he\u2019s played tighter, but he hasn\u2019t always won the contact and post-metres battle.<\/p>\n Damian McKenzie facing \u2018conundrum\u2019 as ex-All Black hails the emergence of New Zealand\u2019s rookie playmakers<\/a><\/p>\n That must change if the Reds are to go deep in 2026 and for Salakaia-Loto to re-emerge as a Wallabies regular because Les Kiss\u2019s side need a physical, imposing lock who can cause damage and dent the gain-line.<\/p>\n Against the Crusaders, Salakaia-Loto showed he was willing to run a hard line and seek the ball.<\/p>\n He needs to continue in that vein.<\/p>\n If he does, it won\u2019t just be the Reds he helps, but the Wallabies, who desperately need a lock to fill the size 19 shoes of Will Skelton.<\/p>\n National unions should examine All Black\u2019s Aussie venture<\/p>\n George Bridge\u2019s signing at the Force<\/a> didn\u2019t necessarily go down well on either side of the ditch.<\/p>\n Former Wallabies said the Force were wasting another position on another non-Australian eligible player, while New Zealanders giggled at the World Cup member\u2019s decision to move to Perth after a stint in France.<\/p>\n But who\u2019s laughing now?<\/p>\n Not only is Bridge proving a more than handy pick-up on the field, but he\u2019s also providing the blueprint for a successful Super Rugby in the future.<\/p>\n Super Rugby can\u2019t just rely on nationalistic grounds, especially given the player drain to the north. It has to expand \u2013 and the best way to do that is to open the borders between Australia and New Zealand and allow players to still be selected for their national sides.<\/p>\n Origin flyer passes baptism of fire<\/p>\n The Drua might be outside the top six in Super Rugby, but there are few harder tests for players than succeeding against them in Fiji.<\/p>\n The air is thick and muggy, the grass is heavy, and teams often come unstuck and lose their heads in front of their electric fans.<\/p>\n And despite entering the fray with the game in the balance, Zac Lomax, a man not unfamiliar with high expectations and the big stage, came away with his stocks not just intact but, if anything, up from his Super Rugby debut.<\/p>\n Lomax, 26, playing his first professional match in six months and his first rugby match in more than a decade, looked comfortable on the field and tried to get involved at every stage.<\/p>\n