The ACT Brumbies have launched contract talks with hooker Folau Faingaa in the hope the emerging Wallaby will make a long-term commitment to Canberra.
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Faingaa looms as the Brumbies' next signing target after the club finalised a deal this week to keep Pete Samu until at least the end of 2022.
Both Faingaa and Samu have contracts for the 2020 Super Rugby season, but the threat of cashed-up overseas clubs swooping on Australia's best talent has fast-tracked the contract process.
Faingaa has been a revelation over the past two seasons, making his Wallabies debut last year and being included in the World Cup squad.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika opted for a combination of Tolu Latu and Jordan Uelese for all but one of Australia's World Cup games, meaning Faingaa had limited chances to impress.
But the Brumbies view him as a crucial cog for the coming years and his re-signing would give the club front-row certainty alongside Allan Alaalatoa (2023) and Scott Sio (2022).
"We've already started conversations with Folau. He's another player we want to keep long term," said Brumbies coach Dan McKellar.
"He's just scratching the surface at the moment in terms of how good he can be and his potential. He's a very good footballer, he's been very good for us and the growth he still has is exciting."
Brumbies players will start pre-season training on November 18, but Wallabies won't officially return to the club's headquarters until January.
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Samu and Joe Powell are expected to join the Barbarians for matches in Europe, delaying their start to preparations for the 2020 campaign.
"Pete's got a lot of experience, his leadership development within our team will be important over the next few seasons," McKellar said. "He's highly respected and when he does speak, people certainly listen. I'll encourage him to present his ideas and thoughts and develop as a leader within the group."
McKellar's challenge will be blending untested talent with his Wallabies representatives given he will have less than a month with his full squad before the opening game of the season.
He needs to appoint a new captain, find a goal-kicker and settle on which young gun he will throw into the chief playmaker role after Bayley Kuenzle, Noah Lolesio and teenager Reesjan Pasitoa were named as the Brumbies' flyhalf options for next year.
Tom Cusack is spending the off-season with the Australian sevens side in a bid to earn selection for the Tokyo Olympic Games, while Lachlan McCaffrey is playing in Japan before returning to Canberra.
"I'm already thinking about captaincy and the make up of our leadership team. I've got to speak to individuals, I've got a plan but I'll talk to the coaches and chief executive and make a decision over the next couple of months," McKellar said.
"The pre-Christmas block will be with a younger group. In the back line we'll have everyone except Tevita [Kuridrani] and Joe. There's a fair chunk of the forward pack which won't be back until January.
"There will be a group of emerging leaders, who have been working behind the scenes and now have a chance to put their learnings into practice. The reality is whoever has the captaincy job, it will be new. So we've got to have good support around them."
BRUMBIES 2020 DRAW
January 31: ACT Brumbies v Queensland Reds at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
February 7: ACT Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
February 15: ACT Brumbies v Otago Highlanders at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
February 22: Waikato Chiefs v ACT Brumbies at Hamilton, 5.05pm.
March 8: Japan Sunwolves v ACT Brumbies at Osaka, 3.15pm.
March 15: ACT Brumbies v NSW Waratahs at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.
March 21: Auckland Blues v ACT Brumbies at Eden Park, 5.35pm.
March 27: Queensland Reds v ACT Brumbies at Brisbane, 7.15pm.
April 4: ACT Brumbies v Wellington Hurricanes at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
April 12: ACT Brumbies v Argentina Jaguares at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.
April 25: Durban Sharks v ACT Brumbies at Durban, 10.05pm.
May 3: Pretoria Bulls v ACT Brumbies at Pretoria, 1.45am.
May 9: ACT Brumbies v Cape Town Stormers at TBC, 7.15pm.
May 15: Melbourne Rebels v ACT Brumbies at Melbourne, 7.15pm.
May 23: NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies at Parramatta, 7.15pm.
May 29: ACT Brumbies v Japan Sunwolves at Canberra Stadium, 7.15pm.
June 6: Week one finals
June 13: Week two finals
June 20: Grand final