Six ACT Brumbies have been selected in the Australia U20 squad for the upcoming U20 Rugby Championship in South Africa, headlined by rising talent Eli Langi, who is part of the 2026 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific squad.
Australia U20 Head Coach Chris Whitaker has named a 31-man squad for the tournament, including Brumbies Ewald Kruger, Tavita Loughland, Cooper Eagle, Chayse Geros, Riley Whitfeld, and Langi. The group is set to assemble in Sydney on Friday before departing for South Africa for a demanding schedule of three matches in thirteen days.
Brumbies Dylan Bretton and Oscar Cleary, were unavailable for selection after being ruled out through injury.
The tournament will be held in Gqeberha, with all fixtures played at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium as part of the broader Rugby Championship calendar.
Australia will open their campaign against New Zealand on the Monday following ANZAC Day, before facing hosts South Africa and rounding out the tournament against Argentina.
The squad enters the tournament on the back of a strong preparation block, having recorded victories over Fiji U20s and a Japan U23 side during the recent Coffs Coast Festival of Rugby.
Whitaker said the team is eager to build on that momentum as they take on some of the world’s best young talent.
“We are looking forward to taking the momentum from our week-long camp in Coffs Harbour and building upon it with three tough games in South Africa,” Whitaker said.
“The Rugby Championship U20 provides us with another opportunity to continue developing as a team against top opposition in unique circumstances.
“Our group is ready to embrace the challenge and are excited to get the chance to represent Australia on the international stage.”
The six Brumbies representatives underline the strength of the club’s pathways program. Brumbies Head of Elite Pathways and Player Development, Dan Hawke, is proud of the players selected and what their selection says about the depth and quality coming through the program and region.
"Six selections shows we’re not only producing talent, but preparing players to perform at international level," Hawke said.
"It reflects the alignment across schools, clubs, academy and the professional environment."
Importantly, there are also a number of players who could very easily have been selected, which speaks to the depth we’re building in the program."
All matches of the U20 Rugby Championship will be streamed live on Stan Sport.
