Brumbies 2017 season preview

THE DRAW

This year the Brumbies play three New Zealand sides away with two of those against teams that inflicted heavy defeats at home in 2016 – the Crusaders and Chiefs.

The African conference away games are little kinder, with games against the Kings and Jaguares but uncharted territory for the Brumbies as they are new venues to play in.

They start the year with a trip to Christchurch to play the Crusaders who hopefully have one of their notorious slow starts to the season.

Back to back home games against the Sharks and Force are followed up by a trip up the Hume Highway for the only match against the Waratahs this year.

A tricky period follows with a re-match against the Highlanders who knocked them out in 2016 with a week off before welcoming George Smith and Stephen Moore back to Canberra.

Two more away games against the Rebels at Easter and a clash in Napier against the Hurricanes are followed by the chance to welcome Sonny-Bill Williams and the Blues in their only Sunday afternoon home game of 2017.

They then switch their attention back to the Africa 2 conference with a home game against last years runners up, the Lions, before hitting the road and heading to Port Elizabeth to play the Kings and then onto Argentina to play the Jaguares.

A home game against the Rebels wraps up things before the International break before they resume their season with two away games against Queensland and the Chiefs in the Tron.

SQUAD

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BACKS

Nigel Ah Wong
Tom Banks
Tomas Cubelli
James Dargaville
Anthony Fainga’a
Kyle Godwin
Wharenui Hawera
Jordan Jackson-Hope
Nick Jooste
Tevita Kuridrani
Christian Lealiifano
Ryan Lonergan
Joe Powell
Andrew Smith
Henry Speight
Lausii Taliauli
Aidan Toua
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FORWARDS

Robbie Abel
Allan Alaalatoa
Chris Alcock
Ben Alexander
Rory Arnold
Jarrad Butler
Sam Carter
Tom Cusack
Blake Enever
Saia Fainga’a
Lolo Fakaosilea
Scott Fardy
Ben Hyne
Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin
Josh Mann-Rea
Nic Mayhew
Jordan Smiler
Scott Sio
Faalelei Sione
Tom Staniforth
Rob Valetini
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INS

Chris Alcock (Western Force)
Tom Banks (Queensland Reds)
Tom Cusack (Australia Sevens)
Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds/Kintetsu Liners, Japan)
Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
Lolo Fakaosilea (Queensland Reds)
Kyle Godwin (Western Force)
Wharenui Hawera (Southland, NZ)
Ryan Lonergan (Tuggeranong Vikings)
Nic Mayhew (Auckland)
Faalelei Sione (Canberra Royals)
Rob Valetini (Melbourne Rising)
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OUTS

Albert Anae (Mitsubishi, Japan)
Robbie Coleman (Western Force)
Michael Dowsett (Worcester, UK)
Stephen Moore (Queensland Reds)
David Pocock (Sabbatical)
Ruan Smith (Verblitz, Japan)
Joe Tomane (Montpellier)
Matt Toomua (Leicester, UK)
Ita Vaea (Retired)
Michael Wells (Waratahs)
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Overall

I think the Brumbies will struggle to match their results of recent years where they have made the finals in the last four seasons.

The depth is already being tested and if anymore long term injuries occur then they could be struggling to keep in touch of their conference rivals.

If they keep the rest of their first choice players on the park then I can see them finishing third in the conference but wouldn’t be surprised to see them finish lower than that.