Connal McInerney still can't shake the 5am wake-ups.
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The ACT Brumbies hooker just can't get back to sleep, "so that's been a bit of a pain" - but it is all worth it for the long term gain of securing a permanent spot in the club's match day squad.
![Connal McInerney has been called in after veteran rake Josh Mann-Rea suffered a season-ending injury. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong Connal McInerney has been called in after veteran rake Josh Mann-Rea suffered a season-ending injury. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc6zdl2e8lag534nuw14b.jpg/r0_463_5338_3476_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It comes with the territory of a sleepless night into a flight halfway around the world to fill the void in a crucial Super Rugby showdown in Argentina.
McInerney knew the call was coming when he saw Brumbies veteran Josh Mann-Rea go down with a serious knee injury in Cape Town last week.
Now he is looking to stake his claim for a permanent place in the Brumbies side behind Folau Fainga'a as the club sets its sights on signing a new hooker.
The 24-year-old had intended to sit up for just a few hours to see the Brumbies' clash, one that would go down as one of the club's finest wins in years.
But the third-string hooker soon opened a bag, walked to his wardrobe and began hastily filling it with everything bar the one thing he needed most.
![Connal McInerney is determined to make the most of his chance. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong Connal McInerney is determined to make the most of his chance. Photo: Sitthixay Ditthavong](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc6zdl2yal1f99qie314b.jpg/r0_415_5338_3428_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
McInerney's passport was at Brumbies headquarters, so while he packed his bags and waited for flights to be booked, he put in a call to player development manager Robin Duff about sourcing his passport.
Hours later, he was on a trip around the world to link up with the Brumbies for their clash with the Argentina Jaguares in Buenos Aires on Sunday.
"I watched the game so I had a pretty good idea, and then [team manager Bill Swain] sent me a message about half an hour after the game. I had already started packing, getting ready to go," McInerney said.
"That was it, just a Whatsapp message back to me. It was very frantic, I was probably pushing it a bit late. I had to get Robin to meet me at the airport with my passport so it was all pretty rushed.
"She had to go into Brumbies [headquarters] and get it because I had left it at training. It wasn't ideal, but she is a legend so she is always doing those little things for us.
![Josh Mann-Rea's season is over. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz Josh Mann-Rea's season is over. Photo: Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc74ae9jdn3tfv9zze87z.jpg/r1407_48_3509_1263_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I'm obviously devastated for Bongo, we haven't heard all the results yet but we're obviously devastated for him. It happens, and I'm not sure [what comes next for him].
"It's just another opportunity really, another good opportunity to stake my claim [for a spot].
"Any chance I get, I'm pretty desperate to take it. I'm used to flying in as an emergency, the exact same thing happened last year."
Except this time around there is one slight difference - the Brumbies are not licking their wounds, they are high on confidence.