ACT Brumbies fight to keep Noah Lolesio as overseas rivals circle

It is understood Lolesio has attracted serious interest from elsewhere with the 22-year-old playmaker off-contract at the end of the Brumbies' Super Rugby Pacific campaign.

Brumbies chief executive Phil Thomson says the club is desperate to keep Lolesio in Canberra, but there is a belief the club may struggle to match the riches on offer from other clubs.

Negotiations are ongoing but the potential loss of Lolesio to Australian rugby would be a major blow with next year's World Cup on the horizon.

The Brumbies' young gun has been a revelation at club level, having been crowned the man of the match in the 2020 Super Rugby AU final, but has struggled to establish himself in the Wallabies' best 23 over the past two years.

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Lolesio is expected to be one of the front-runners chasing the Australian No. 10 jersey for the World Cup but a taking a deal overseas could potentially scupper those hopes and in turn would have major ramifications on the Wallabies' playmaker picture.

Lolesio has long been considered the heir apparent with Quade Cooper's days seemingly numbered at 34 years old.

"He's on our list of priorities to try to retain. Discussions are just ongoing at the moment. It's a tough one out there at the moment," Thomson said of Lolesio, who is slated to make his return from an ankle injury to face the Otago Highlanders during Super Round in Melbourne on Sunday.

"There has been some interest from elsewhere. I think there has been some interest on the overseas front.

"It's a competitive market out there. You can become a victim of your own success to a degree. When they're off-contract and they are Wallabies or have been in Wallabies squads, they create interest from other parties. Other parties are interested in trying to get a hold of them."

The Brumbies are already bracing for fullback Tom Banks to sign a two-year deal in Japan worth approximately $1.4 million per season while inside centre Irae Simone is bound for France.

Thomson calls Banks' eye-watering offer a "life changer", with Australian rugby offering him a sabbatical season in Japan having conceded the code is not in a position to break the bank to keep players on home soil forever.

But the club is set to unveil long-term deals for Ryan and Lachlan Lonergan this week in a major coup. Both players were included in Dave Rennie's most recent Wallabies squad, with Lachlan Lonergan earning a Test debut last year.

The Brumbies are also hopeful Nick Frost will opt against a move to Japan and instead stay in Canberra to chase a Test berth.

SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC ROUND 10

Sunday: Otago Highlanders v ACT Brumbies at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, 2pm. Broadcast live on Stan Sport.

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