Michaela Leonard's Super W team shows what it means to be ACT Brumbies

It means driving up to five hours to join your Super W teammates for a training session. It means working a day at your full-time job and rushing to training in Queanbeyan on a cold winter's night.

It's a price Brumbies captain Michaela Leonard and her teammates are willing to pay as they look to shock the Australian rugby landscape and claim a maiden national crown.

Leonard has been unveiled as the club's skipper as they set their sights on a Super W season opener against the Melbourne Rebels at Seiffert Oval on Saturday.

Wagga Aggies hooker Harriet Elleman has been named vice-captain - and she is far from the only one hitting the road to chase a rugby dream.

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The Brumbies have players coming from Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Sydney, Narromine, Goulburn and around the capital for a Super W opportunity.

"It shows the passion," Leonard said.

"Everyone in our squad works full-time or studies full-time, so on the back of an eight, nine-hour day they then come to training for three hours, four times a week plus playing.

"Then you have girls travelling four, maybe five hours is our longest each way, it shows the commitment, the passion, and just the love for this game, the love to be able to play and get around our friends, and put something out on a stage people can see.

"It shows the commitment and hopefully it starts to be recognised and go in the right way so it can become our priority.

"From day dot, we've wanted to strive to be the best team out there. We've definitely got that opportunity this year. The squad has come together really well, we've got a really exciting back line and a really strong forward pack."

Leonard says the Brumbies' season opener being played at home looms as "a perfect opportunity" to give fans a taste of what women's rugby has to offer.

All six teams will then head to Coffs Harbour to round out the pool stages, with each side playing three matches, before a finals day on July 3.

"Michaela is now an experienced player on the field, a really positive voice in the group and someone who leads with her actions around training and games so she'll be a great skipper for us," Brumbies coach Dan Hawke said.

"Harriet as well, is someone who has been so impressive with her dedication and application to training, and we're very confident they'll help drive us on Saturday."

SUPER W ROUND ONE

Saturday: ACT Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Seiffert Oval, 3pm. Broadcast live on Stan Sport.

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