Brumbies to unleash Gold Coast’s Noah Lolesio against the Queensland Reds

Friday’s match-up is a tantalising teaser for Wallabies fans as the first of what could be a decade or more of Green and Gold selection battles between Lolesio and Queensland’s Isaac Lucas.

The Brumbies will unleash Gold Coast product Noah Lolesio upon his home state and the team he grew up cheering for when the Queensland Reds arrive in Canberra for the opening clash of their Super Rugby season.

Life after Christian Lealiifano begins now for the Brumbies, who have backed the 20-year-old TSS product to steer their ship across the pitch and into the finals.

Friday’s match-up is a tantalising teaser for Wallabies fans as the first of what could be a decade or more of Green and Gold selection battles between Lolesio and Queensland’s Isaac Lucas.

New Brumbies flyhalf Noah Lolesio. Photo: Marty Cambridge, Brumbies Media

The two playmakers, born three months apart, were schoolboy opponents in GPS rugby and teammates in the Junior Wallabies run to the U20 World Cup Final last year.

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When the Brumbies lured Lolesio south to their academy for 2018, the Reds responded by signing Lucas to a development contract.

Neither team will admit to buyer’s remorse but recruitment managers in both corners will wonder if they made the right call when the two come face-to-face on Friday night.

Lucas is the darting, flashy prospect with shades of Quade Cooper in his mercurial playmaking.

Lolesio, according to the TSS head coach who thrust him into First XV action as a Year 10 student in 2015, is cut from a different cloth.

The Southport School vs Nudgee College in round 8 of the 2017 GPS rugby union competition, 2nd September at TSS. This image is for Editorial Use Only. This image is licensed to The Southport School. Photo: Adrian Gaglione.

“Of all the guys I’ve coached through schoolboy rugby, Noah is one of those young men whose temperament lends itself to professional sport,” Mike Wallace said.

“The thing about Noah was his genuine attention to detail and an understanding of what his role is within his team to make the team function as well as they can.

“Noah started as a winger, not because he was the fastest or most skilful, but because he knew what his role required and adapted his skillset to suit that.

“It was that first season, playing out of position in Grade 10, that he really stood out to me as something more than just your average schoolboy.”

Lolesio returned to the more natural position of inside centre for the following two seasons and went on to raise the GPS trophy in his senior year.

The Southport School vs Nudgee College in round 8 of the 2017 GPS rugby union competition, 2nd September at TSS. This image is for Editorial Use Only. This image is licensed to The Southport School. Photo: Adrian Gaglione.

The TSS flavour in Friday night’s clash will extend further than the Brumbies No.10 jersey.

Lolesio’s First XV teammate Angus Blyth will start in the second row for the Reds while 2013 graduate Jock Campbell will start on the opposition wing.

For the Brumbies, 2006-07 prop James Slipper will feature off the bench.