The Super Rugby Pacific's regular season has come to a close, leaving the Australian sides with a mix of emotions. The Western Force, who finished the highest in the rankings in over a decade, are celebrating their fourth win in a row at home. However, the Waratahs' halfback Jake Gordon suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, and the Brumbies lost at home to Moana Pasifika, leaving them in a rebuilding phase at the wrong time of the season. The Queensland Reds, on the other hand, have proven themselves to be the most powerful Australian side, and are now in a position to make history in the finals.
One of the most significant developments in Australian rugby is the injury to Jake Gordon. The Waratahs halfback's face was etched with disappointment as he realized he would be spending some time on the sidelines. This leaves only three capped halfbacks in the entire country: Tate McDermott, Ryan Lonergan, and Kalani Thomas. McDermott and Lonergan will be the Wallabies' halfback stocks, but until now, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has not fully trusted McDermott, and he has primarily played an impact role off the bench. Thomas is not a sure thing in the gold jersey either, with just one cap to his name.
This opens up that third halfback spot to an entire host of very capable, young, and inexperienced options in Teddy Wilson, Louis Werchon, and Nathan Hastie. The injury to the Western Force's Henry Robertson only a few weeks ago now appears to be an even bigger blow to national stability, with his partnership with Australia's form flyhalf, Ben Donaldson, flourishing before his ACL injury. Lonergan and McDermott are Australia's no.9s for July, and who will be their backup is both a call for concern as an exciting opportunity.
The Brumbies are rebuilding at the wrong part of the season. Another loss to Moana Pasifika perfectly summarizes the Brumbies' shortcomings in the back half of this season. The reintroduction of Wallabies players, Tom Wright, Allan Alaalatoa, Charlie Cale, Cadeyrn Neville, and Lachlan Lonergan, has proved to be a destabilizing act of self-improvement for the team. The loss of budding talent Kadin Pritchard to a hamstring injury, as well as the loss of ever-reliable Ollie Sappsford, doesn't help. The effort between the Brumbies and Moana was fueled by the fact that it was Moana's final game in the competition, and even more impressive considering they were down to 14 men for large chunks of the game due to ill-discipline.
The Queensland Reds have proven themselves to be the most powerful Australian side, and are now in a position to make history in the finals. The likes of Lachie Anderson, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Matt Faessler, Hunter Paisami, Josh Flook, and Filipo Daugunu, as well as backrower Harry Wilson, were in a mood to dominate contacts. The Reds have shown time and time again this season that they have the power game to compete with the New Zealand sides, and their clash with the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday night will undoubtedly show that again.
The Western Force program has improved markedly under coach Simon Cron in the past few years, and the organization has reiterated its confidence in his work by signing him on for the 2027 season. His legacy as head of the West will be consistently producing and improving Wallabies under his guidance: Hamish Stewart, captain Jeremy Williams, Dylan Pietsch, Darby Lancaster, Carlo Tizzano, Ben Donaldson, and now Nick Champion De Crespigny. The giant blindside flanker has gone from strength to strength in the west, and although some of them were capped before moving west, it is clear the environment in Perth is spurring them to greater heights.
In conclusion, the Super Rugby Pacific's regular season has left the Australian sides with a mix of emotions. While the Western Force are celebrating their success, the Waratahs and Brumbies are in a rebuilding phase at the wrong time of the season. The Queensland Reds, on the other hand, have proven themselves to be the most powerful Australian side, and are now in a position to make history in the finals. The injury to Jake Gordon has left the Wallabies with an uncertain halfback stocks, but the young and inexperienced options are ready to step up and make an impact.
