The good old days … Dan McKellar has headed north to coach the Waratahs – and he isn’t the only new resource going to the NSW club. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
In 2021, the Brumbies went down to the Queensland Reds 19-16 in the Super Rugby AU final at Lang Park.
It was an aberration, and regular service was resumed in 2022, 2023 and 2024, with the Brumbies returning as the leading Australian team.
That dominance will be under serious threat in 2025 with Rugby Australia controlling the Brumbies and the Waratahs as the governing body of both.
And clearly Rugby Australia is devoting plenty of resources to NSW after the Waratahs finished at the bottom of the table in 2024.
This includes the recruitment of former Brumbies coach Dan McKellar to NSW. His coaching is impressive, and he will be supported by former Irish assistant coach Mike Catt, along with former Brumbies Dan Palmer and Lachie McCaffrey.
The resourcing isn’t just devoted to coaching personnel. The Wallabies have signed Taniela Tupou, Andrew Kellaway and Darby Lancaster from the Rebels, alongside Roosters back Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, significantly bolstering the playing roster.
It would be surprising if the Waratahs don’t fire in 2025!
The devotion of resources and the focus on the Waratahs is almost a throwback to the formation of Super Rugby in 1996.
NSW was deemed to be the centre of the Australian rugby universe only to be upstaged by the seemingly second-fiddle Brumbies time and time again, creating an us-against-them culture.
There must be a sense that this relationship has been resurrected, which isn’t a bad thing for Australian rugby.
Whilst there have been plenty of changes at the Waratahs, it has been business as usual in Canberra with 30 players from last year’s squad returning in 2025.
Rebels recruits – centre David Feliuai and backrower-lock Tuaina Taii Tualima – will strengthen an already strong squad.
The promotion of four players from within the development program also sends a strong message with Kadin Pritchard, Shane Wilcox, Lachlan Hooper and Tevita Alatini expected to see game time with the Brumbies in 2025.
An interesting development, though, has been the departure of a number of high-profile players from the John I Dent Cup heading to Sydney to play in the Shute Shield.
The Brumbies in 2025 will feature seven players from the Wallabies side that defeated England 42-37 at Twickenham in November.
And with the bulk of the squad coming off contract at the end of the season, individually there is plenty to play for.
From a team point of view, the rivalry with the Waratahs has just stepped up a notch.
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