From Canberra Times: Brumbies lock in shock international trip in bid to find key players.
The ACT Brumbies are bound for Hong Kong with Stephen Larkham searching for answers after Wallabies stars left vacancies in the backline for the perennial Super Rugby contenders.
The Canberra Times can reveal the Brumbies will fly overseas next week for a game against Hong Kong China on November 8.
Larkham has been hunting for more opportunities to get minutes into a band of rising stars with the Brumbies poised to blood new talent after a fourth consecutive
Super Rugby Pacific semi-final exit.
Now the Brumbies will stamp their passports with Jarrah McLeod and Kadin Pritchard set to get a chance to put their name up in lights.
Hudson Creighton has emerged as the front-runner to fill Len Ikitau's boots in the centres after
the reigning John Eales Medallist joined Exeter in a deal which rules him out of the next Super Rugby season.
But
McLeod, who burst onto the scene against the British and Irish Lions, and Pritchard, who made his Super Rugby debut earlier this year, are both chasing more opportunities at the top level.
"Jarrah McLeod and Kadin Pritchard, we picked them for the Waratahs game and Kadin had to come off after about 30 seconds, so he's all patched up and hopefully that combination can be on the field for a little bit longer this time," Larkham said.
"'Huddy' played the majority of Super Rugby AUS and he'll go over there and play as well. He's our most experienced outside centre in the squad at the moment, but it is just another opportunity for guys to play at a decent level.
"Hong Kong will be challenging, particularly when we've got to travel over there a couple of days before. It's the same as Super Rugby AUS, we're looking for more games when we can play together, and the game can be at a higher standard where we can test ourselves. It's another opportunity there."
Ikitau is just one Test-capped star the Brumbies need to replace in the back line next year, with Noah Lolesio bound for Japan and
Tom Wright ruled out for the majority of the season following knee surgery.
Tane Edmed - who will start for the Wallabies at Twickenham this weekend - can fill the void at flyhalf, while the race is on to wear the Brumbies' No.15 jersey.
Kye Oates - a breakout star in the John I Dent Cup - is vying for a Super Rugby shot alongside Declan Meredith and Andy Muirhead.
"They're three guys that are in our squad at the moment. Kye has played fullback all year for Royals and he is very comfortable in the position," Larkham said.
"Andy has played there before and he generally covers that for us in Super Rugby, and Declan has also got a background at fullback. We saw Declan play a bit this year and he is a quality Super Rugby player. He's another option for us there."
Hong Kong China are preparing for a series of games with the Brumbies wedged between fixtures against a Japan XV and Portugal.
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