"And he seemed no man, a giant born of gods."
When Homer wrote of giants in The Odyssey, even he could hardly have imagined the Brumbies' latest recruit, 203cm, 130kg lock Aiden Stait.
The lofty lock has signed a three-year deal with the Brumbies through to the end of the 2029 season. But, like Odysseus, Stait's path to Canberra has been anything but direct.
Born in Bathurst and a former St George Dragons SG Ball player, the 22-year-old only committed seriously to rugby union in 2022, quickly rising from Sydney University Colts to the NSW Waratahs Academy. Tales of his size and clips of his dominance soon caught the eye of international scouts, earning him an opportunity with French Top 14 club Bayonne. After three years developing in the Basque Country, his journey has come full circle—from Bathurst to Bayonne to the Brumbies.
Stait possesses the rare physical profile that has him shopping in the same aisle as international locks Will Skelton and Eben Etzebeth. Now, under the guidance of Head Coach Stephen Larkham, Senior Assistant Coach Ben Mowen, and Assistant Coach John Ulugia, the towering second-rower will look to refine the technical detail, set-piece craft and game understanding required to fulfil his immense potential at Super Rugby level.
ACT Brumbies Head Coach Stephen Larkham said Stait was an investment in the future.
"Aidan is a unique athlete. You simply can't coach his size and power, and those attributes give him an incredibly high ceiling," Larkham said.
"What excites us most is that he's recognised where he needs to be to take the next step. He's had a valuable experience overseas, but he's still at the beginning of his rugby journey and we believe our environment is the best place for him to develop into a Super Rugby player and continue building towards becoming a player who can perform at the highest level."
"We've built a strong reputation for developing quality forwards, and our program has done an outstanding job with our pack over the past few seasons. Aidan will benefit enormously from working and learning alongside the experienced players we have in this squad."
Stait said returning to Australia was an easy decision after speaking with the Brumbies coaching staff.
"France was a great experience and it challenged me in a lot of ways, but I felt the best place for me to continue developing was back in Australia with the Brumbies," Stait said.
"The conversations with the coaches really stood out. They were honest about where my game is at and what I need to improve, but they also showed me a clear pathway for how I can get there."
"The Brumbies have produced some outstanding forwards over a long period of time, and that's the environment I want to be part of."
"Signing for three years gives me the opportunity to really invest in the program and my development. The environment here is exactly what I was looking for, and I'm excited to keep learning from the coaches and the experienced players as I work towards earning my chance."
Stait will join the Brumbies ahead of the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, adding another imposing presence to the club's forward stocks as he embarks on the next chapter of his rugby odyssey.
