Brumbies prop James Slipper passes on encounter with Wallabies royalty

The ACT Brumbies prop had his first encounter with rugby royalty when Tim Horan and Dan Herbert visited his school, a treasured memory he'll never forget.

And now, the 96-Test Wallaby has the chance to return the favour in his adopted hometown.

"It does come full circle. I'm one of the older boys now too, so it kind of feels like I'm being pushed out," Slipper said.

"It's enjoyable just seeing the kids' faces, they're having a ball so it makes it good. It's a bit of a flashback from when I had it.

"They've got a bit of energy, don't they? I think it's just good to get out in the community as a Brumbies group.

"I know the players really enjoy it, especially being around kids who just love the game and play around. It's awesome."

Slipper and his Brumbies teammates spent Monday afternoon visiting Mount Rogers Primary School, using their bye week to branch out into the community and recover from a hectic start to the Super Rugby season.

The bye couldn't come at a better time given the Brumbies have battled mumps and bumps in recent weeks, giving them a chance to press the reset button before another away trip in round six.

Dan McKellar's side have nearly two weeks to prepare for the Japanese Sunwolves, who they'll meet at Hanazono Stadium on Sunday, March 8.

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"It's been pretty difficult for us lately with illness and that sort of stuff going through the squad," Slipper said.

"We're on top of it now and I think the bye is coming at a good time for us, we're three and one.

"It's important to refresh and make sure you get away from footy, but in the back of your head knowing you're going to come back better. We still have room for improvement."

The new-look Brumbies are full of confidence after a strong start to their 2020 campaign, winning three and losing one match on the buzzer.

Depleted and still hurting from their heartbreak against the Otago Highlanders, the Brumbies used their adversity as fuel to cause an upset in New Zealand.

The Brumbies beat the Waikato Chiefs 26-14 on Saturday and now sit comfortably on top of the Australian conference, six points clear of the second-placed Queensland Reds.

The rising Reds clocked up their biggest Super Rugby total last week, scoring 10 tries to thrash the Sunwolves 64-5. But Slipper is under no illusion that the Japanese outfit is still dangerous, especially at home.

"The Reds played exceptionally well against the Sunwolves and put them under a lot of pressure," Slipper said.

"That scoreline blew out but the one thing I know about the Sunwolves is they're very hard to beat in Japan.

"We'll be going over there fielding a very strong team because we know it's going to be a tough battle. We have a lot of improvement in us and we'll be working hard each week to get better."

SUPER RUGBY

Round five: Bye.

Round six: Japanese Sunwolves v ACT Brumbies at Hanazono Stadium, Sunday, March 8, 2.15pm.