Noah Lolesio declares Brumbies are primed to prove critics wrong yet again in Super Rugby

Nobody is picking the Brumbies to win the Super Rugby title this year, and that’s just how the team like it according to playmaker Noah Lolesio.

THEY are Australia’s most successful Super Rugby franchise, and have made more finals in the past five years than any other local team, but the Brumbies have welcomed the “ridiculous” snub from title contender conversations leading into the new season.

Brumbies playmaker Noah Lolesio revealed that there is acute recognition from the Canberra side about the extra attention being paid to the NSW Waratahs and Queensland Reds for the 2025 season, and there’s no doubt they’re using it as fuel for their campaign.

“It’s honestly no surprise at all, every single year it’s always, ‘Can the Brumbies do it? They don’t seem as strong’, but it just seems like every single season we always seem to prove everyone wrong again,” Lolesio told this masthead.

Noah Lolesio knows the Brumbies are being written off as Super Rugby title contenders, and that's just how they like it. Photo by Brumbies.

“So we’re happy to fly under the radar. It’s always been the Tahs and Reds on front lines and everything, and we just go about our business and just try to get better every day and focus on each game.

“It’s funny considering we’ve been in the finals the last three, four years in Super Rugby, but somehow we’re still not the favourites in Australia, which is ridiculous in my opinion, but that’s just the way it is.”

Lolesio believes being isolated in the nation’s capital has been the key reason that the franchise has previously won three titles, and recently featured in every playoff since 2018.

“I think it’s our connection, the majority of the whole squad, besides a few boys, aren’t from Canberra, so we literally hang out with each other almost every single day on and off the field,” Lolesio said.

“So we just have that genuine care for each other and the organisation and the brand, and I think that’s why on the field we just seem like we’re enjoying ourselves a lot because it’s more like that genuine care for each other that makes it a lot easier to play with as well.”

The Brumbies kick off their campaign on Saturday afternoon with their first ever fixture in Fiji against the Drua, who lost only one game at home last year while defeating the Crusaders, Waratahs, Western Force, Moana Pasifika, Reds and Melbourne Rebels.

“This is the first time Brumbies are playing there versus Fiji, so it’s a real exciting opportunity and time for the Brumbies brand,” he said.

Noah Lolesio of the Brumbies. Picture: Getty Images

“All the boys, honestly, we’re genuinely excited to play here.

“We know that they’re especially going to be up for it. Year by year, these guys just keep getting better and better with their program, so it’s awesome to see, as a fan, Fiji Drua improve in such strides.

“We expect them to be very big, powerful, physical, they like to run the ball a lot, so we’re going to have to be on our A-game.”

But coach Stephen Larkham has opted to gamble with his squad, with a Wallabies rest policy dictating that national players can’t play seven successive games, and so he’s left Len Ikitau, Tom Wright, Allan Alaalatoa, James Slipper and Nick Frost at home, while Rob Valetini and Charlie Cale are out injured.

“We’ve got a few boys debuting in the backline, Austin Anderson has been in our program for the last few years now, and he’s been getting better and better as he develops, so I’m sure he’ll have a great game in regards to his ball playing and his carry,” Lolesio said of his inside centre.

“And we’ve got young Kadin Pritchard coming off the bench as well. He’s a very exciting talent. When he’s given the ball and space, he can do his thing, so hopefully he gets the opportunity with ball in hand in space, and you guys will get to see what he can do.”

Originally published as Noah Lolesio declares Brumbies are primed to prove critics wrong yet again in Super Rugby