Allan Alaalatoa: Leading the Brumbies for a Sixth Straight Season in 2025

Wallabies prop Allan Alaalatoa will captain the Brumbies in Super Rugby Pacific for his sixth consecutive season in 2025.

Back in action after suffering an ACL injury last year, Alaalatoa, 30, who has played 131 games for the Brumbies since 2014 and 66 Tests for the Wallabies, told Australian media he had never lost the feeling of being honoured by being asked to lead the side.

"There's been plenty of growth and you learn a lot being a leader, probably more so how I want to lead, the different changes I make throughout the year, and how much you lean on the other boys.

"I'm grateful I have a strong leadership group behind me, who also push standards on the field."

One goal this year is to move the side one or two steps beyond the semifinal hurdle, which they have fallen at over the last two seasons.

"We've got to understand that we're making the semifinals, so we're not doing too much wrong.

"There's a whole last part of the programme that is giving us every opportunity to be a quality and consistent side, but we are missing that little bit [extra]. It was important to to highlight the good stuff we're doing over the last few years, but also understand the shifts we need to make."

The Brumbies won't lack consistency in selection, nearly 30 players have returned from last year's side. A key signing has been Wallabies midfielder David Feliuai, replacing Tamati Tua.

"At this time of the year, you're always setting those goals, and for us, it's finding those little one or two percenters because we've been so close over the past two years but fallen short.

"There's been a massive shift in pre-season. The boys have been training hard, and off the back of last season, we've got 30 players who have come back and experienced the last few years.

"That's a massive thing for us, so we don't have to change everything; we can just add little pieces in the programme on and off the field, which will take us that next step forward."

The Brumbies open their Super Rugby Pacific campaign against the Fijian Drua on February 15 in Fiji.

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