The ACT Brumbies have called for certainty from Rugby Australia as they look to re-sign a host of off-contract stars.
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ACT coach Stephen Larkham is confident the lure of a 2025 British and Irish Lions tour and home World Cup in 2027 will help the side ward off cashed-up international clubs.
The European and Japanese heavyweights have started circling amid a tumultuous period for the game in Australia and lucrative overseas deals look increasingly appealing with uncertainty surrounding the path forward at home.
The Brumbies have 17 players off contract at the end of next year, a group headlined by Tom Hooper, Noah Lolesio and Corey Toole.
The club is keen to re-sign all players beyond 2024 however the sport's contracting model complicates that process.
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Players of national interest have a portion of their deals covered by Rugby Australia and must negotiate with the two organisations at the same time.
The process has slowed significantly since the departure of Wallabies coach Eddie Jones and as RA recruits a head of high performance, with the duo expected to have a major say in contract moving forward.
Chief executive Phil Waugh and contracting boss Toby Duncan have continued negotiations in their absence, but the slow pace of progress has opened the door for international clubs to pounce.
The Brumbies are monitoring the situation closely and are seeking certainty in order to finalise deals with key players.
"We've identified all the players we want to keep and negotiations are ongoing," Larkham said. "Some of them are in conjunction with RA so the timeline on those at the moment is a little bit unknown.
"There's a lot going on with the director of high performance, other staffing positions to fill and the integration of RA with the Super Rugby clubs so the timelines on negotiations are a little bit longer than we would've liked but it's the process we have to go through."
Speculation is rife over who will replace Jones, with former Brumbies coach Dan McKellar and ex-Wallabies mentor Michael Cheika and Larkham among the options.
The recruitment process will also be conducted in conjunction with the hiring of a high-performance chief, with the two roles to be closely intertwined.
RA is determined to take their time in order to land the right people for the jobs ahead of a pivotal few years for the sport.
Given the limitations on overseas-based players representing their country, Larkham expects most Australians will want to be a part of the Lions tour and home World Cup.
"Looking at the horizon for RA, it's pretty exciting," Larkham said.
"With the Lions coming in 25 and World Cup in 27, there's plenty of incentive for players to stay in Australia. The Lions series is unique, you don't get to compete in that in the northern hemisphere.
"Like everyone, we'd like to lock away some of these players who have shown tremendous potential and ability sooner rather than later and we'll keep pushing hard to get them done."
The focus on 2025 comes as the Brumbies locked their squad in for 2024.
Larkham has achieved remarkable consistency from last season, with just three new additions to the roster.
Ex-Waratahs scrumhalf Harrison Goddard was recruited to replace Nic White, while ACT academy players Lachlan Shaw and Austin Anderson received a promotion to the top squad.
The team will commence pre-season on Monday, with players to return in a staggered fashion in the next three weeks.
Off-contract ACT Brumbies
Darcy Swain, Noah Lolesio, Luke Reimer, Andy Muirhead, Ed Kennedy, Tom Hooper, Fred Kaihea, Corey Toole, Ben O'Donnell, Connal McInerney, Jack Debreczeni, Sefo Kautai, Charlie Cale, Klayton Thorn, Ollie Sapsford, Tamati Tua, Jahrome Brown
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