Next up in our Super Rugby team previews we showcase the Brumbies, whose chances rest heavily on the shoulders of new coach Jake White this season.
The Brumbies will look to make some drastic improvements this year after a lowly 2011 season saw them achieve just four wins and one draw.
Their abysmal 13th place finish summed up the worst performance by a Brumbies team since 1998 and World Cup-winning coach White’s priority will be rebuilding their battered squad and their once prominent reputation.
It won’t be an easy road, however, with the Brumbies set for a major overhaul after losing a wealth of talent and a whopping thirteen of their starting players at the end of last season.
Wallabies Rocky Elsom, Salesi Ma’afu, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Matt Giteau all opted to leave the club and the Brumbies have battled to find any big names to replace them with.
With an average age of just 22, White will have his hands full as the majority of his players make their Super Rugby debuts this season.
In the end it seems 2012 may be a season too soon for the Canberra team to shine, but they will certainly look to internationals Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander and marquee back Pat McCabe to put in the big yards and lead their largely inexperienced squad.
New recruit and ex-Waratahs number eight Ben Mowen has been chosen to captain the side this season.
Prediction: It seems the Brumbies will battle again this year, but they should improve as the tournament develops and White's influence comes into play. They will probably still find themselves in the bottom five teams this season.
2012 Brumbies squad: Fotu Auelua, Ben Alexander, Sam Carter, Tom Cox, Robbie Coleman, Ben Hand, Cam Crawford, Ruaidhri Murphy, Michael Hooper, Peter Kimlin, Christian Lealiifano, Pat McCabe, Stephen Moore, Dan Palmer, Jono Owen, Siliva Siliva, Ben Mowen, Jesse Mogg, Andrew Smith, Henry Speight, Matt Toomua, Ita Vaea, Ian Prior, Joseph Tomane, Kimami Sitauti, Tevita Kuridrani, Anthony Hegarty, Leon Power, Dylan Sigg, Scott Sio, Zack Holmes, Scott Fardy, Colby Faingaa, Nic White, Jerry Yanuyanutawa.
