Date & Time: Sunday, 27 September 2026, 2:05pm AEST
Venue: Viking Park, Canberra
Broadcast: Stan Sport, Rugby.com.au, YouTube
The Lowdown
Both sides head into Canberra desperate to make amends after taking heavy beatings last week. The Brumbies were outplayed by the Force, while the Reds suffered a humbling 47-19 loss to the Waratahs in Roma. Beyond pride, this fixture serves as the absolute last chance for players to catch the eye of Wallabies and Australia A selectors before upcoming international fixtures.
Brumbies have shuffled the deck, starting Dan Nelson at scrum-half alongside roommate Tane Edmed at 10. In the backline, Corey Toole shifts to fullback, Triston Reilly moves to the wing, and Kadin Pritchard joins Jarrah McLeod in midfield. Tighthead Tevita Alatini returns to the starting front row, while Wallabies hooker Lachlan Lonergan makes his long-awaited return from off-season surgery via the bench.
Queensland head coach Vern Cotter has demanded a reaction following their defensive lapses in Roma, turning to youthful power in his pack. Souths prop Trevor King (21) and Brothers No. 8 Vaiuta Latu (21) have both been rewarded with starting spots to bring badly needed physicality. Veteran playmaker Ben Volavola starts at fullback to partner Tom Lynagh in guiding the backline, while Easts centre Jake Pappin gets his first start at inside centre. On the bench, Souths lock Jake Kurbatoff and UQ scrum-half Flynn McDermott (younger brother of Wallaby Tate McDermott) are both inline for potential Super Rugby AUS debuts.
Prediction
Brumbies by 6 points.
The Underdog’s Tip
Expect Vern Cotter’s Reds to come out aggressive early, but the Brumbies’ home ground advantage at Viking Park and the injection of Wallaby experience off the bench through Lachlan Lonergan should turn the tide late in Canberra.
Team Lists
Team lists are correct as of release via Clubs on Wednesday.
ACT Brumbies
- Lington Ieli, 2. Liam Bowron, 3. Tevita Alatini, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Toby Macpherson (c), 6. Tavita Loughland, 7. Eli Langi, 8. Oscar Cleary, 9. Dan Nelson, 10. Tane Edmed, 11. Triston Reilly, 12. Jarrah McLeod, 13. Kadin Pritchard, 14. Ollie Sapsford, 15. Corey Toole.
Replacements: 16. Lachlan Lonergan, 17. Rhys van Nek, 18. Darcy Breen, 19. Tu’ukalikali Vaipulu, 20. Darcy Fogarty, 21. Klayton Thorn, 22. Oscar Shaw, 23. Dylan Bretton, 24. Chace Oates, 25. TJ Talaileva, 26. Ewald Kruger.
Queensland Reds
- George Blake, 2. Matt Faessler (c), 3. Trevor King, 4. Will Ross, 5. Charlie Brosnan, 6. Joe Brial, 7. John Bryant, 8. Vaiuta Latu, 9. Mosiah Christian, 10. Tom Lynagh, 11. Sefa Naivalu, 12. Jake Pappin, 13. Josh Takai, 14. Tim Ryan, 15. Ben Volavola.
Replacements: 16. Zac Hough, 17. Harrison Usher, 18. Nick Bloomfield, 19. Jake Kurbatoff, 20. Tom Robinson, 21. Flynn McDermott, 22. Will McCulloch, 23. David Fusitu’a, 26. Dom Thygesen, 28. Alex Flanagan Smith.
Scroll inside the box for match stats
I had to do a family thing, what happened to Lynagh? And where did it go wrong for Reds?
I’m half cut now, and still 3 hours before the wallabies
Haha me to, big/long night!
Keep drinking it might help the pain, go wallaby’s
At least we should get a losing bonus point
As well as a big spoon
They all wanted McDermott to score, but I think he only got the conversion
Don’t panic
Don’t panic
It’s only September
Yeah, let’s hope the Reds do their homework on what the new coaching team wants. Might be hard for the Wallabies players coming back
Faessler pulls out a Dolly
Cotter better get used to having no 10s
JYD what are you doing
Latu has to do better there
What an atrocious attempt at the conversion. Come on, sheep stations at stake!
Brumbies have changed gear
Yeah, they have been pretty much in neutral so far in this competition. Definitely better today.
Lucky escape for qld . Failed at the kickoff exit and allowed a 14 man brumbies a sniff
Too hard to think Lynagh may have played 3 games in a row without getting injured. Hope his uni studies are going ok
Real shame
He seems to be an easy target for attackers. Dunno why
Why did they get away with smacking him in the head all the time?
This ref is calling pen adv over when they have had a positional advantage. Should be more of it
Where does this ref come from?
Goodnight lynagh
Brumbies been practising intercepts all week.
C’mon the Reds!