Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham's training roadshow moment a sign of winning back rugby fans

Larkham found that one fan - an eight-year with his dad - and threw him a ball, then sent him on to the field with the Wallabies players who were supposed to be on leave.

Yeah, I hear you. So what? Fan engagement is part of the job of elite sportspeople these days.

But that training roadshow moment - almost five months ago now - embodies everything Larkham is trying to achieve in his second coming as Brumbies coach. Winning is one thing, but having people there to see the games sits right next to results on the priority list.

There are plenty of reasons to get excited about the ACT Brumbies this year - emphasis on the ACT because it's back in the club's official name for the first time in almost 20 years.

They're two from two on the field - beating the arch enemy Waratahs in Sydney in week one and then holding off an all-star Auckland Blues last weekend.

They've got a long list of Wallabies' World Cup hopefuls, and Eddie Jones' return to Australia has put rugby back in the news for good reasons.

But perhaps the most significant is what Larkham's doing by flipping the script of what a professional training programs look like and choosing to invest more time in the community.

It's something he openly admits he missed the mark on when he was thrust into the Brumbies' top job almost a decade ago.

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Back then it was all about winning and the players. They needed their rest. They needed to focus. The demands of Super Rugby meant they didn't have time to fit in community visits the day before a game.

That wasn't the trigger for the decline in Brumbies crowds, which are now at record low average numbers after a plethora of Australian rugby issues over the years. But it obviously didn't help.

So Larkham has scrapped the traditional "captain's run" the day before a game - a usually slow-paced training session at the stadium to go through the final stages of preparations.

Instead, the day before a game is for the fans. For the community. For those who love rugby, and for those who have maybe been lost to the game.

"It's a big part of the program," Larkham said. "Making sure the community can appreciate the game for what it is.

"We need to appreciate the community so we're trying to get out there to show our support. Numbers are building for this weekend, it looks like we'll have our best crowd since COVID and we're expecting a really good atmosphere out there.

"Big crowd or not, it's the passion they bring. The passion they've always brought. That creates the atmosphere for players to enjoy it."

The entire Brumbies squad lobbed at the Canberra Centre on Friday night, 24 hours before kick-off in their first home game against the Queensland Reds on Saturday.

Officials are hoping the good start to the year, the warm early-season weather, the Eddie Jones factor and the small steps Larkham's team has been taking in the community bring crowds back to the stands.

They're on track for a crowd of more than 10,000 people - their biggest since the pandemic brought the world to a standstill in early 2020.

Will the community visits result in 10,000 fans every week? No. Will we return to the halcyon days of 20,000 for the big games? No.

The reality for rugby is that it has slipped down the rungs over the past decade or so. It was on life support for a while, especially as South African teams dropped in and out and no one understood the finals system.

But there are signs of life and stand-in captain Nic White can feel it.

"Bernie's really big on wanting to do every Monday at different schools or clubs and on Friday's everyone wants to get out and about. To the shops, places we can show [ourselves] around the community," White said.

"We know we've got unbelievable fans who come every week, but we want to get back to where it was.

"Just getting out more, that gives you the buzz and the true feeling of how much support there is in Canberra for the Brumbies.

"If you're a Brumbies fan and love your rugby, come on out [to the game]. There's a bit of a buzz and we're starting to feel that."

The ACT government has come on board to help the Brumbies and Canberra Raiders. They've dropped the prices of pies, chips, hot dogs, soft drink and sausage rolls.

The Brumbies have held their ticket prices firm at 2009 prices, and they've upgraded every registered player in the capital from general admission to silver.

"[It's] a thank you to those involved in grassroots rugby," a message to the club rugby community said this week.

Is it a silver bullet to rugby's issues? No way. Is it a start? Definitely, because it's easy to find a disillusioned rugby fan these days, but it's harder to win them back.

For a long time winning was viewed as the be all and end all. Time has shown it's important, but community connection is what helps you through the tough times.

The good news for the Brumbies and their fans is that they are genuine contenders this year, and their impressive efforts in the first two rounds prove it.

"Everything we're doing is about little steps, because we've got to continue the connection piece," said chief executive Phil Thomson.

"We need to do it on a daily basis to inspire and connect with the next generation and involve them in the game. We've got to find ways to make them feel a part of the game and watch these guys put their bodies on the line for the ACT every week."

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