Rod Iona eyes Super Rugby recall as ACT Brumbies begin pre-season training

The bulk of the Brumbies squad returned to club headquarters for day one of pre-season training on Monday with COVID-19 certificates and agility testing high on the agenda.

But 30-year-old Iona's biggest test lies ahead as he knocks on the door of a Brumbies comeback with two capped Wallabies holding the jerseys he wants most.

Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio, who is on tour with the Australian side in the UK, has a mortgage on the Brumbies' No. 10 jersey, while Irae Simone is the first choice inside centre.

Iona's last game for the Brumbies came in 2016 and it is hoped his return can both drive competition for places and foster the development of both Lolesio and Simone.

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"To be honest, like I have been in the past, I'd like to see myself in the 10 or 12 position. It would be really cool to be able to do that," Iona said.

Iona spent the 2021 campaign training with the Brumbies after answering the call from Dan McKellar, and now Laurie Fisher says they will turn to him to "take some of the heat off" Lolesio in 2022.

"The mindset and mentality coming into pre-season and joining the group again is probably still the same," Iona said.

"It's still the same goals, we've still got our heads in the right places at the moment. Not much has changed but it's quite nice to know the opportunity is there to take the field this year."

The Brumbies are without their coach and the core of their regular starting XV for the beginning of pre-season training with McKellar joined in the UK by 10 of his clubmen.

The bulk of the club's Wallabies contingent will return to Australia following the final match of the Spring Tour against Wales on November 21.

Nic White, Pete Samu and Len Ikitau are set to stay on for one more week to play for the Dave Rennie-coached Barbarians against Samoa at Twickenham Stadium on November 28.

McKellar's absence has left Fisher and Rod Seib to steer the ship in Canberra, with the group on hand still bolstered by a handful of Test capped players like Simone and Jesse Mogg.

"They definitely bring that experience to the group, they bring that vibe, that energy that is kind of missing sometimes. That comes with their experience," Iona said.

"Boys that are new into the group feel comfortable with them around because they bring that experience and knowledge. Early days, first day in today, and they made the new boys feel welcome, it's like they've been here the whole time.

"It has been a strange couple of months, hasn't it? Just being in COVID and not being able to see many of the boys during that time, it was nice to come into HQ this morning and see some familiar faces, train and be together again.

"When we came in this morning, all the boys were pretty excited to see each other. Not only that, we've got the new Pacific [competition]. The boys are pretty excited about that, we touched on that this morning. We spoke about how the competition is going to look and there's a lot of excitement going around in the group at the moment."

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