ACT Brumbies forward Nick Frost has caught the eye of Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, and is the only player selected into the green and gold camp for the first time.
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Frost was one of 15 Brumbies selected for the Wallabies' Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship squad on Sunday.
He is one of eight uncapped players named in Rennie's 42-man squad, but the 21-year-old Brumby is the only one entering Australian camp for the first time.
Rennie said Frost was a forward to watch in years to come.
"He is a big man, very athletic, and I think if I look a year ago, someone like Darcy Swain who caught our eye, you have a good lineout forward and he's really developed physically, his physicality in the game has made big shifts," he said.
"We see the same with someone like Nick, who's very very athletic, as I've mentioned, a big lineout forward, and we think, hopefully we can accelerate his learning and his development within the group, so he's certainly, you know, with an eye to the future."
Veteran Wallabies Allan Alaalatoa and James Slipper have retained their spots, with Brumbies players Scott Sio and Nic White returning to the group, having overcome hamstring and knee injuries.
Rennie said the return of Sio and White, with 105 Test caps between them, added to the squad's depth heading into their games against New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina.
Fellow Brumbies Len Ikitau, Pete Samu, Darcy Swain, Rob Valetini, Tom Wright, Tom Banks, Andy Muirhead and brother's Lachlan Lonergan and uncapped Ryan Lonergan also secured their spot in the Test squad.
The Brumbies have again had the most players named out of any Super Rugby AU club, so it's no wonder one of the best players out of the Test series against France proved to a Brumby with only two national caps to his name prior.
After kicking the match, and series winning, penalty against France, Noah Lolesio is ready for his next Test against the All Blacks.
Rennie said he hoped the 21-year-old flyhalf would do very well against the Kiwis, as he had done against the French.
"He's had a really good season. Obviously got a lot of Super Rugby under his belt and came into our campaign, I guess, with more confidence and knowledge than he had last year," he said.
"He's done very well, I think his kicking under pressure has been outstanding and he's getting better at running the game with control and things. He's done really well and ... I think he'll only get better."
The Wallabies squad selected for the Bledisloe Cup and eToro Rugby Championships
- Allan Alaalatoa (46, Brumbies, 27)
- Tom Banks (14, Brumbies, 27)
- Angus Bell (6, NSW Waratahs, 20)
- Pone Fa'amausili* (uncapped, Melbourne Rebels, 24)
- Lalakai Foketi* (uncapped, NSW Waratahs, 26)
- Nick Frost* (uncapped, Brumbies, 21)
- Jake Gordon (8, NSW Waratahs, 28)
- Reece Hodge (46, Melbourne Rebels, 26)
- Michael Hooper (c) (108, NSW Waratahs, 29)
- Len Ikitau (2, Brumbies, 22)
- Feleti Kaitu'u* (uncapped, Western Force, 26)
- Andrew Kellaway (2, Melbourne Rebels, 25)
- Marika Koroibete (37, Melbourne Rebels, 28)
- Rob Leota* (uncapped, Melbourne Rebels, 24)
- Noah Lolesio (5, Brumbies, 21)
- Lachlan Lonergan (2, Brumbies, 21)
- Ryan Lonergan* (uncapped, Brumbies, 23)
- Tate McDermott (5, Queensland Reds, 22)
- Fraser McReight (1, Queensland Reds, 22)
- Andy Muirhead* (uncapped, Brumbies, 29)
- Isi Naisarani (11, Melbourne Rebels, 26)
- James O'Connor (55, Queensland Reds, 31)
- Brandon Paenga-Amosa (12, Queensland Reds, 25)
- Duncan Paia'aua* (uncapped, Toulon, 26)
- Hunter Paisami (9, Queensland Reds, 23)
- Jordan Petaia (8, Queensland Reds, 21)
- Matt Philip (12 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 27)
- Tom Robertson (24, Western Force, 26)
- Izack Rodda (25, Western Force, 24)
- Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (28, Queensland Reds, 24)
- Pete Samu (10, Brumbies, 29)
- Scott Sio (68, Brumbies, 29)
- James Slipper (103, Brumbies, 32)
- Darcy Swain (3, Brumbies, 24)
- Lachlan Swinton (2, NSW Waratahs, 24)
- Matt To'omua (57, Melbourne Rebels, 31)
- Taniela Tupou (28, Queensland Reds, 25)
- Jordan Uelese (13, Melbourne Rebels, 24)
- Rob Valetini (7, Brumbies, 22)
- Nic White (37, Brumbies, 31)
- Harry Wilson (8, Queensland Reds, 21)
- Tom Wright (5, Brumbies, 24)
*denotes uncapped
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
