Source : ABC NEWS
James Slipper, a stalwart of Australian rugby union for 17 seasons, will enter rarefied air on Sunday when he takes the field for the ACT Brumbies.
Slipper, 36, will play his 200th Super Rugby match when the Brumbies face the Crusaders across the Tasman in Christchurch.
A veteran of 151 Test matches for the Wallabies, Slipper’s appearance this Sunday makes him the first Australian to reach the 200-game mark in Super Rugby.
The prop forward is closing in on the all-time record of 202 matches, held by All Black great Wyatt Crockett.
“He is one of the most respected players in Australian rugby, and reaching 200 Super Rugby games is a huge achievement,” head coach Stephen Larkham said.
“He continues to set the standard with how he prepares, how he trains, and how he competes.”
Slipper, a native Queenslander, played his first of 104 Super Rugby matches for the Reds in 2010.
He has played a further 95 matches for the Brumbies since making the move for the 2019 season.
The Brumbies have named an unchanged side from the team that overpowered the Western Force in Perth last weekend.
The Canberra-based side overcame a sluggish start, going down by 10 points early in the first half, to hammer the Force 56-24 in hot conditions.
The impact off the bench for the Brumbies was crucial in securing the win last weekend in Perth, and will again be vital in round two as the team makes the enormous journey across the continent, and then across the Tasman.
“The season is underway and we are confident, but we remain focused on improving and taking our performance to the next level,” Larkham said.
“The season can be a grind and we need to make sure our whole squad is fit and firing when it counts.”
The Crusaders are coming off a round one upset loss to the 2025 wooden-spooners, the Highlanders, but will be buoyed by playing at home for the first time in 2026.
This will be the third-last match the Crusaders play at Christchurch Stadium before moving to their new home, Te Kaha.
Kick-off between the Brumbies and Crusaders will be at 1:35pm AEDT on Sunday.
