Brumbies embracing rare tour against Kiwi heavyweights

ACT Brumbies coach Allan Alaalatoa believes the two-week stint in New Zealand will bring the group closer as they look to establish their title credentials.

The Brumbies left Canberra today as they begin the toughest road trip in Super Rugby, facing 2024 finalists Chiefs and Blues in Hamilton and Auckland.

Alaalatoa’s side has struggled in New Zealand, winning just one of their last seven games against NZ teams (27-21 v Highlanders last March).

This includes semi-final losses against the two teams they will face: 19-6 to the Chiefs (2023) and 34-20 to the Blues (2024).

“It’s going to be tough,” the captain said to the media at the airport.

“They both love playing at home and pride themselves on their physicality around the breakdown and have quality players depth-wise.”

Alaalatoa and the Brumbies are looking forward to the challenge, knowing that a win would boost their confidence after last week’s Force defeat.

“It’s perfect. Our focus this week has been purely bouncing back from last week,” he said.

“We want to be better in our system and what we’re delivering in our own system because we know once we deliver that, we’re a red hot team.

“It’s important to know the threats that are coming, and I think this point in the competition is about understanding how we can better at our own game.”

The seasoned Wallaby is accustomed to Test tour life but believes the experience will be invaluable to the younger players.

"If I look back on my career, some of my best memories are on tour when you're spending every day together and you get to enjoy the country you're in," Alaalatoa reflects.

“You're playing in a stadium where it's just you boys, the 23 and the staff. That's when you find out a lot about each other, in those moments when everything would be against you, everyone is cheering against you but you know everyone’s back home cheering.

"For me, a lot of my special memories I made on tour and playing in those away games. I think that is going to be an experience for a lot of our younger lads over the course of the next 10 days.

“…It’s tough. My daughter is at the age where she knows now if I've got the big luggage bag, I'm gone for a few days.”