The win in Suva meant a lot to all Brumbies players. Photo: Brumbies Facebook.
Brumbies coach Steve Larkham gambled in a fashion rarely seen in professional sport in the opening game of the Super Rugby Pacific season for the Brumbies.
Heading to Suva, where no Australian side had ever beaten the Drua since the Fijian side’s entry into Super Rugby in 2022, Larkham opted to rest five Wallabies with another two out through injury.
He would have been tempted to field his strongest side possible in a bid to secure a win to start the season.
The Drua’s imposing record in Suva last season featured 10 wins and just one defeat to the Hurricanes. The oppressive conditions traditionally take their toll on visiting teams.
The expectation was the Brumbies needed to have all hands on deck.
But there was no Tom Wright, Len Ikitau, Nick Frost, James Slipper and Allan Alaalatoa alongside the unavailable Rob Valetini and Charlie Cale through injury.
Ryan Lonergan warming up for the first game of the season against the Drua in Suva. He is in a training top designed by Noah Fleming, a local young Wiradjuri. Photo: Brumbies Facebook.
Six players, unfamiliar to even the most ardent Brumbies fan, made their club debut and three played their first game in Super Rugby.
There was method in Larkham’s strategy with Wallaby players unable to play seven games in a row under Rugby Australia’s resting protocols.
The Brumbies have a series of tough games coming up with the revamped Western Force, followed by last year’s finalists, the Chiefs and the Blues, in New Zealand, before returning to play Fiji in Canberra.
The absence of the Wallabies mattered little as the Brumbies crossed for six tries to four in the 36-32 win, a victory that has effectively set the tone for the rest of the season.
The ability to adapt when the momentum was going the way of the Drua, along with a never-say-die approach when the bounce of the ball wasn’t going their way, was the most pleasing aspect of this performance.
It has been there from the outset of the creation of the Brumbies; the buy-in to that culture by the new players was there for all to see.
Luke Reimer has arguably been the most influential player in the ACT competition over the past two seasons when he played for Wests.
His influence in the Brumbies win in Fiji would have come as no surprise to observers of the John I Dent Cup.
Reimer’s four turnovers and two tries influenced the game considerably at strategic times when the Brumbies needed to lift as they trailed 32-24 with 20 minutes to go.
Reimer crosses the line for one of his two tries against the Drua in the first game of the 2025 season. Photo: Brumbies Facebook.
Reimer’s performance has not only meant the Brumbies return from Suva with four points, but it no doubt has lifted the entire organisation heading into this Saturday night’s first home game against the Western Force.
The Brumbies have found the Force to be as hard as any Australian rival. The Brumbies won both games in 2024 by narrow margins, while the Force beat the Brumbies 34-19 in 2023. In 2022, the Brumbies had a one point victory.
The Force head to Canberra following a last-minute victory over Moana Pacifika 45-44, with the match-winning try coming after 26 phases.
They also boast five former Brumbies, including Nick White and Darcy Swain, in their starting lineup.
The first round of Super Rugby has clearly demonstrated that there is plenty to look forward to in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific competition.
The Brumbies take on the Western Force on Saturday, 22 February, at 7:35 pm. Get your tickets from Ticketek.
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