ACT Brumbies lock Cadeyrn Neville returns as Super Rugby Pacific selection subplots emerge

Now with a Bowral road trip and an internal trial under his belt, the towering ACT Brumbies lock has his sights set on forcing his way back into contention for a Wallabies debut.

Neville came through unscathed during the Brumbies' internal trial at club headquarters on Friday - but that was only one subplot in a game won 31-14 by a team largely built on the incumbents.

Lachie Lonergan started at hooker for the 'A' team, those in the club's home jerseys. Wallabies incumbent Folau Fainga'a captained the 'B' team wearing gold and blue Brumbies Runners jumpers.

Inside centre Irae Simone dazzled with a long passing game and astute kicking options. Jesse Mogg showed his worth in the back three as he emerges as a leading candidate for a bench spot. Chris Feauai-Sautia was damaging with ball in hand and looms as a lethal impact player.

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But few will have been quite as happy to get through another hit out as Neville. Friday marked his second game in as many weeks after a shoulder injury in last year's Super Rugby AU final on May 8 dashed his Test ambitions and brought his season to a premature end.

"I've got through a lot of training in time so I could take some confidence from that but at the same time it was sort of a low key big moment to return to games," Neville said.

"It wasn't as noticeable considering I've been in the group for close to six months anyway. It's been a very heavy five weeks. Including a little bit earlier this week, but especially last week going into that Tahs trial, that was three massive sessions and then play, which is quite taxing.

"Now that we're actually turning into our in-season mode, that's when you get a bit of excitement and a bit of freshness in the body.

"The cliche people say is [Test selection] is the by-product of what people do here. It's 100 per cent my focus to do as well as I can here. It might help with Dan [McKellar] being in that set-up, having a bit more of a direct line to what's going on there."

Watching from the hill was Rob Valetini. This match might as well have been dubbed the Valetini Classic, used to free the devastating back-rower from suspension before round one.

Illness sidelined hooker Connal McInerney, scrumhalf Lachie Albert, and flanker Jahrome Brown, though all three have been cleared of COVID-19. Props Fred Kaihea and Sefo Kautai continue to rehabilitate injuries.

Rory Scott and Ed Kennedy filled gaps in the A team's back-row. Scott was relentless at the breakdown, while a second-half try capped off Kennedy's day. Eastwood import Charlie Cale impressed in the back-row for the B side.

But among the most eye-catching was Queanbeyan Whites back-rower Justin Sikimeti. Drafted into the B team from outside the Brumbies squad, Sikimeti was devastating in attack and defence, showing why he once pulled on a Junior Wallabies jersey alongside the likes of Tom Ross, Ryan Lonergan and Len Ikitau.

Friday marked the Brumbies' last match simulation before they face the Western Force to open their Super Rugby Pacific season at Canberra Stadium on February 20. As scrumhalf Nic White put it, "next stop, round one".

AT A GLANCE

ACT Brumbies internal trial: BRUMBIES WHITE 31 (Tom Banks, Tom Wright, Noah Lolesio, Ed Kennedy, penalty tries; Lolesio 2 conversions) bt BRUMBIES GOLD 14 (Justin Sikimeti, Hudson Creighton tries; Nathan Carroll 2 conversions) at Brumbies Headquarters.

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