Respected trainer Dean Benton to leave Brumbies

POPULAR conditioning coach Dean Benton has stunned the Brumbies by announcing his departure after this season.

Dean Benton

POPULAR conditioning coach Dean Benton has stunned the Brumbies by announcing his departure after this season.

Players were shocked when Benton told them he was leaving yesterday afternoon at training, with the athletic performance director credited as turning them into the fittest side in the Australian Super Rugby conference.

Many top Brumbies players have credited Benton for their form over the last two years.

Benton, who joined the Brumbies after a stint at the Brisbane Broncos NRL club, is thought to be moving back to his home town of Melbourne.

He was signed until the end of this season.

Wallabies stars Ben Mowen, Christian Leali'ifano and Joe Tomane have publicly praised Benton for their rise to the national team.

Earlier this year, when Leali'ifano was struggling in his comeback from a serious injury, he revealed: "Deano pulled me aside when he saw I was struggling one day in pre-season, and said: 'Don't ever doubt yourself because none of us around here do'.

"Knowing my family, my teammates and coaches have put a lot belief in me has definitely helped me."

Benton is notorious for his tough training regimes. When he first arrived at the Brumbies he had them start pre-season training months earlier than any other squad, and in the following season they powered over rival sides at the back end of halves.

The Brumbies, leading the Australian conference and guaranteed a place in the finals for the first time since 2004, play the Western Force this weekend.

A win would see them seal first place in the conference and a top three finish, which guarantees them a home final.