Lonergan brothers Ryan and Lachlan locked in for a shot at Brumbies and Wallabies success

Because Ryan and Lachlan Lonergan knew Canberra was home. They want to be ACT Brumbies. They want to be Wallabies.

The highly rated brothers have both re-signed with the Brumbies until the end of the 2025 season in a major coup with both knocking on the door of Dave Rennie's Wallabies side.

Hooker Lachlan Lonergan made his Test debut last year - and as he puts it, "I've loved Brumbies my whole life so if they wanted to keep me, I was keen to stay" - while Ryan Lonergan has emerged as one of the country's most highly-rated scrumhalves.

The decision to commit to Australian rugby means they will be able to chase gold jerseys with the 2023 World Cup and a 2025 British and Irish Lions tour on the horizon in a landmark time for the code.

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"Over the next three years [Test football] is obviously a big goal. Noss has already played and I've been in and around it, so hopefully we can push on," Ryan said.

"We were looking overseas, it never really got overly serious though because obviously the priority is to stay here with the club we've been supporting since we were growing up. The plan was always to stay.

"It's good to have a bit of security in this time. Noss and I are really looking forward to the next three years with the Brums and obviously Rugby Australia."

The retention of the brothers comes at a crucial time for Australian rugby with the code bracing to lose some of its key stars to big money offers overseas.

At 24 years old, Ryan is touted as a future captain of the Brumbies having already skippered the side in a Super Rugby game this year. It's a role the rising scrumhalf doesn't necessarily covet but one he would thrive in.

He forms a crucial part of a succession plan in Canberra, destined to eventually fill the boots of Nic White at club and perhaps eventually international level. It remains to be seen whether the Brumbies can hold onto Lachie Albert, with the third in line for the No. 9 jersey a chance to gain further opportunities elsewhere.

Lachlan's decision to commit to the Brumbies could offset the potential departure of Folau Fainga'a, the Test hooker linked to the Western Force amid a salary cap squeeze in Canberra.

The Brumbies are already blessed in the hooking department with Test-capped rake Connal McInerney on the books until the end of next year, while the club has high hopes for former rugby league prospect Billy Pollard.

"It's awesome. It's not only good for the team but it's good for us as well. We push each other and that makes us better footy players," Lachlan said.

"We're all close mates too, so we don't really mind when someone gets picked ahead of you, you're happy for them. At the end of the day you still want to play, so you're competing and training and that's only going to help the team be better."

And the Brumbies are going to need to be better.

They enter a Super Round clash with the Otago Highlanders in Melbourne sitting second on the ladder, only pushed out of first by the Auckland Blues via points differential.

But the real challenge starts now for the Brumbies, even if the Highlanders sit 10^th with one win in the bank. The ladder could be in for a dramatic overhaul if results go as many pundits expect over the next six weeks.

"It's almost like a whole new competition. Everyone is excited for it," Lachlan said.

"It's going to be good to see how we go this weekend, it's going to be a good test. I'd bet all the Australian teams and New Zealand teams will be up for it.

"It's going to be a tough competition, we've got to put our heads down and do what we can control, and hopefully good outcomes come off the back of it."

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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