Kennedy's journey to Brumbies a sign of greater Australian struggle

Take up an opportunity to play professional rugby overseas or continue chipping away in the Shute Shield and hope an Australian franchise eventually comes knocking.

To Kennedy, it quickly became clear an opportunity at home was not on the horizon and a move to Wales was the only option to progress his career.

It's a decision the forward does not regret and one he feels helped him develop into a more complete player.

"At the time, there wasn't an opportunity in Australia," Kennedy said. "I saw Wales as an opportunity and I thought it was a good one.

"I went over thinking I was alright at set piece, but I wasn't, I was pretty bad. That helped me a lot, and I improved in defence and game experience."

Kennedy's dilemma is one many emerging Australian players face.

With just five Super Rugby franchises and limited professional opportunities, youngsters are often forced to look abroad to chase their dream.

Some, like Kennedy and Dave Porecki, who will make his Wallabies debut on Saturday night, return home.

Others, like former Brumbies duo Mack Hansen and Guy Porter, are lost to Australian rugby forever.

Hansen is in New Zealand with the Irish squad. Porter is in line to make his England Test debut against Australia on Saturday.

Many of these men have one thing in common. While they had plenty of talent, they were not the best of the best. As a result, they often slipped through the cracks.

But players like this are crucial to the sport, providing much needed depth in a relatively small player pool.

Rugby officials have spent years grappling with the conundrum of how to retain as many young footballers as possible. There is no easy solution.

"Unfortunately it's the landscape at the moment," former Brumbies assistant Peter Hewat said. "For those guys who don't get an opportunity to play regularly in Australia and have an opportunity to play for other nations, it's exciting for them as players.

"It's good for the franchise to have those people come through the pathways and spend some time at the Brumbies as part of their development.

"Unfortunately you can't keep everyone. Players will always want to play at the highest level, some are lucky enough to be able to play for multiple countries."

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With officials conceding the inability to retain every talented youngster, Kennedy and Porecki stand up as the ideal outcome for Australian rugby.

The former has re-signed with the Brumbies for another two seasons, the latter is now a star at the Waratahs and hours away from a Test debut.

They're players who have clearly benefited from a number of years in the European system, honing their craft against some of the best forwards in the world. They have transferred those skills back to their home country.

For Kennedy, who went to school with Porter, the lure of a gold jumper will always ensure many Aussies abroad have one eye on any opportunities back home.

"Playing rugby in the UK is a big attraction, people want that experience," Kennedy said. "We're getting better at retaining people and more are coming back to Australia.

"We'll never keep everyone, but it's about finding a balance. A couple of Guy Porters will slip through but hopefully it doesn't happen too often."

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