Rob Valetini will reach the 100-cap milestone this weekend as the ACT Brumbies name a heavily refreshed side for their Round 5 Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Fijian Drua in Fiji. The milestone comes amid a sweeping nine-change shake-up to the starting XV as the Brumbies look to rebound after a testing opening month of the season.
Andy Muirhead has been handed the captaincy and will lead the team from fullback, while Fijian-born prop Lington Ieli earns his first start for the club and his first appearance of the 2026 campaign. Ieli slots into a new-look front row alongside established hooker Billy Pollard and debutant Darcy Breen, the latter arriving in Canberra after stints in Major League Rugby in the United States and New Zealand’s NPC with Canterbury.
The pack also features the season return of Wallaby Nick Frost in the second row, partnering rising lock Toby Macpherson in Macpherson’s first start after an encouraging debut campaign. The back-row retains Tuaina Taii Tualima and welcomes Luke Reimer into the starting XV alongside Valetini, with Reimer rewarded for strong impact performances from the bench earlier in the season.
There are notable changes in the spine: Klayton Thorn and Tane Edmed have been paired as halfbacks and earn their maiden starts for the club together, while David Feliuai and Kadin Pritchard are named at midfield to provide strike and stability outside the new halves combination. The back three sees Corey Toole return to the starting side after managing a leg complaint last week, joined by impressive debutant Kye Oates and captain Muirhead.
Stephen Larkham said the selection reflects lessons taken from last week’s loss and a desire to bring energy to a challenging trip. “We learnt a lot from last week. Sometimes you take more out of a loss than a win. The chaos of that game gave our players some really good learnings around how to adapt and overcome challenges during a match,” Larkham said. “This week presents another opportunity for growth and to test ourselves once more in Fiji.”
The replacements bench has been bolstered to inject fresh legs and versatility, with Liam Bowron, Blake Schoupp, Tevita Alatini, Lachie Shaw, Rory Scott, Ryan Lonergan, Declan Meredith and Hudson Creighton completing the Round 5 squad. Meanwhile, veteran prop James Slipper has been rested this week — a decision that sets up a potential milestone next weekend at GIO Stadium, when Slipper could break the all-time Super Rugby appearance record (202) in the Brumbies’ home fixture against the Chiefs.
The Brumbies also issued an update on fitness concerns: props Rhys van Nek and halfback Dan Nelson are being assessed after sustaining injuries, with the club to provide further clarity ahead of the match. With a reshuffled bench and a number of players earning first starts, the Brumbies will be looking for a performance that shows the lessons Larkham referenced and gives Valetini a memorable way to mark his century of Super Rugby appearances.
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