Brumbies not daunted making history as Nick Frost welcomes Kiwi challenge

Brumbies lock Nick Frost has dismissed the recent poor history of Aussie teams facing Kiwis in Super Rugby finals, as we reveal shock viewership numbers for the 2025 season.

Brumbies lock Nick Frost isn’t daunted by historical results. Picture: Getty Images

Brumbies hardman Nick Frost has welcomed the historic challenge of becoming the first Australian team to win the Super Rugby title in New Zealand.

A feeling of gloom descended upon Australian fans last weekend, after the Brumbies lost to the Crusaders to knock them out of the top two, and NSW suffered a record defeat to the Blues to miss the finals.

Australian teams have only won the premiership if they’re hosting the final, which is no longer possible this year after the Chiefs and Crusaders finished in the top two.

The Reds play the Crusaders in Christchurch on Friday, while the Brumbies host the high-flying Hurricanes in Canberra on Saturday.

Should the Brumbies win, they’ll have to cross the ditch to play a Kiwi rival in the semi-finals, a feat never accomplished.

But giant lock Frost is up for the task.

“Whether it’s Test matches or whatever, individually, I do really look forward to big games,” Frost said.

“It brings out that competitive edge in you, you try and go the extra mile and you want to be on that highest stage in that highest arena, in the middle of it.”

The Brumbies lost last year’s semi-final in Auckland to the Blues 34-20, the 2023 semi-final to the Chiefs 19-6 in Hamilton, and the 2022 semi-final 20-19 to the Blues at Eden Park.

Len Ikitau, Rob Valetini and Tom Wright after last year’s finals defeat. Picture: Getty Images

“We’ve had three years now of experiences in a semi-final, two really close games and then one we kind of got touched up a bit in,” Frost said.

“So there’s definitely some learnings and there’s a lot of players here that have been through that the past couple of years.

“That first one, 2022, we were a drop goal away, we got charged down.

“So it’s not really daunting or a fear factor, I’d say. The Blues, we played them this year at Eden Park (and won 21-20), it had taken a long time for an Aussie team to win there.

“So there’s obviously confidence things we take out. And in those games, it’s that last extra five per cent of polish that we really need to get it over the line.

“Because in those games, we play great footy and then there’s just a few other lapses or mistakes and then we’re on the other end of the scoreboard.”

Viewership of the Super Rugby is up 24 per cent from last year. Picture: Getty Images

Shock statistics show a growth in viewership of Super Rugby this year.

Code Sports can reveal that the average audience for Super Rugby on Stan Sport is up 27 per cent from last year, while the audience on free-to-air Nine grew 13 per cent from 2024. Attendances across the competition also rose seven per cent.

So while the Brumbies and Queensland – Australia’s only playoff teams – have a mountain to climb to defy history, more Aussies will be watching them try.

Before they can dream of another semi-final, the Brums need to beat a Hurricanes team that enters the finals on the back of five successive wins including the 35-29 win in Canberra in round 11.

“We’re in a home quarterfinal first against a really, really in-form Hurricanes team, we feel like we’ve got enough to get through that and then wherever that may be, you play the game and anything can happen, it’s finals footy,” Frost said.

The 25-year-old Frost has become one of the crucial cogs in the Wallabies over the past few seasons and will have an important role to play in the British & Irish Lions series.

Brumbies lock Nick Frost in action for the Wallabies. Picture: Getty Images

He has learned to handle the game’s pressures by balancing sport with life.

“When you enjoy your rugby, when you’re a bit more relaxed, you play your best footy,” Frost said.

“You’re enjoying training, you’re enjoying being on the field, and with a smile on the face. I play my best rugby when I’m like that.

“So I always like to get in those moments. It’s never going to be perfect. You’re always going to be carrying niggles and different things here and there.

“No one’s 100 per cent. But I really try and enjoy my rugby, and I find the better I enjoy it, the better the game goes for me.”

But Frost has also worked out that taking it easy at training - even when returning from injury – can have negative consequences on his game.

“When you’re putting good performances on the training paddock and you’re looking to perform at training and improve your habits, I know I play better,” he said.

Nick Frost wins a lineout against the Springboks. Picture: Getty Images

“But when you go through the motions a bit at training, try to look after your body, if you do that for a few weeks in a row, three weeks, four weeks, it starts snowballing a bit and you might pick up a few bad habits here and there and then all of a sudden it creeps into my game.

“So it’s the consistency of training to try and perform at training, instead of just ticking a box. That’s for anyone, any athlete, anyone who wants to strive to better themselves, it all comes from the training paddock.”