Larkham's attacking vision convinces Waratahs winger Reilly to sign two-year Brumbies deal

Triston Reilly has signed a two-year deal with the ACT Brumbies, the club announced on 15 July, ending a lengthy stint with the NSW Waratahs that included 40 Super Rugby appearances and a try for the First Nations & Pasifika XV against the British & Irish Lions in Melbourne last year.

The 27-year-old winger, who also played NRL for the Wests Tigers and represented Australia Men’s Sevens, said a direct conversation with Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was the turning point in his decision.

“I first met with Bernie, Stephen Larkham, and just the way he spoke about the club,” Reilly said. “The way he talked about the way the boys play, the attacking rugby — I felt like that was going to take my game to the next level.”

Reilly is coming off a solid Super Rugby Pacific season with the Waratahs, featuring in 12 matches across wing and centre and scoring tries against the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika. Despite that form, personal circumstances also played a role in the switch — his partner is based in Canberra, making the relocation, as he put it, “quite easy.”

“I really enjoyed my time at the Waratahs,” Reilly said. “For me, just with where I am with life at the moment, just a change, a bit of a different environment. I’m happy with where I’m at.”

Reilly described his own game as a blend of physicality in defence and intelligent positioning in attack. “Just being able to pop up where there’s opportunities on the field,” he said. “I just want to play within the team, play each week and contribute to the team winning.”

He will first feature for the Brumbies in Super Rugby AUS before the club’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign resumes. The Brumbies open their Super Rugby AUS schedule at home against Reilly’s former side, the Waratahs, in Bungendore on 13 September, before away and home fixtures against the Western Force and Queensland Reds complete the regular season.