The end of another four-year World Cup cycle has seen plenty of player turnover throughout the Super Rugby competition.
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Retirements and stints abroad have opened up opportunities for a host of young guns to step up, with many set to become household names throughout the 2024 season.
The likes of Len Ikitau, Rob Valetini and Corey Toole are familiar faces in Canberra, but who are the players to watch across the competition?
Former ACT Brumbies star and Western Force recruit Nic White reveals to The Canberra Times his five players to watch throughout the Super Rugby season.
Jeremy Williams
Lock, Western Force
The forward was recently named Force captain at just 23 years old in a sign of the standing he is held in Perth. A former Waratah, he moved west to chase a new opportunity and there are hopes he is a player the franchise, and the Wallabies, will build around throughout the next decade.
Williams impressed for the Force throughout 2023 and shapes as a crucial figure as the side enters a campaign with high expectations and plenty of external pressure.
Nic White says: "Jeremy is going to have a really big year. He's our skipper, he's only 23 and he's going to keep getting better.
"We've got a young squad over here, a lot of guys around his age. Some guys are natural-born leaders and he's one of them. When he speaks, people listen, he's measured, he thinks about what he says and he's very professional."
Len Ikitau
Outside centre, ACT Brumbies
Ikitau was a shock omission from Eddie Jones' World Cup squad, with smart judges viewing him as one of the best outside centres in the world.
The 25-year-old has hit the ground running in 2024, producing a pair of impressive performances in the Brumbies' two trial wins.
![ACT Brumbies centre Len Ikitau has his eyes on a big season after last year's Wallabies disappointment. Picture by Keegan Carroll ACT Brumbies centre Len Ikitau has his eyes on a big season after last year's Wallabies disappointment. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GzY3iczng7SLWqVgHSV78t/5247c49e-f996-4cda-9a18-588049f07b37.jpg/r0_194_3796_2337_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
White has seen first hand how talented the centre is and will make sure his teammates are on high alert when the Force travel to Canberra in round three.
Nic White says: "I'm keen to see Lenny this year, I think he and Noah [Lolesio] are going to be energised by the change of Wallabies coach. There are probably a fair few guys in Canberra stoked to see the back of Eddie Jones. He was a new coach who came in and didn't like structure, the Brumbies are a very structured side.
"There are a lot of Brumbies with fire in the belly who feel hard done by and have a point to prove. I still have my heart strings attached to Canberra, I always will, so I'm keen to see those guys go hard and Noah and Lenny are at the top of that list."
![Western Force scrumhalf Nic White has identified his five players to watch this Super Rugby season. Picture Ashleigh Zinko,Western Force Western Force scrumhalf Nic White has identified his five players to watch this Super Rugby season. Picture Ashleigh Zinko,Western Force](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GzY3iczng7SLWqVgHSV78t/cc5091c0-38fe-4c6b-92ac-cf93b33811d2.JPG/r0_450_3680_2519_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Jock Campbell
Fullback, Queensland Reds
Campbell was one of a number of emerging stars snubbed by former Wallabies coach Jones throughout a chaotic World Cup.
The fullback has used the disappointment as motivation throughout the summer and his trial form suggests he's returned to the form that earned him a Test debut during the 2022 spring tour.
Nic White says: "Jock is going to have a really big year. He was a bit disappointed last year with how his year ended in terms of selection and there's the fire in the belly. The trial form has been there and I think he'll have a really good year.
"Harry Wilson is another one at No.8 with that fire in the belly of not getting the honours he wanted last year. There's a clean slate this year and that'll be kicking them on to a big year."
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
Lock-Flanker, Melbourne Rebels
A familiar face for long-term rugby fans, Salakaia-Loto left the Reds for Northampton after the 2022 Super Rugby season.
In a similar fashion to Will Skelton and the Arnold brothers, the move to Europe triggered a resurgence in form in the forward-dominant northern hemisphere competitions.
Already a 30 Test-Wallaby, many are pencilling him in for new coach Joe Schmidt's first squad later this year after returning to Australia.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for Salakaia-Loto and his Rebels teammates is the off-field uncertainty surrounding the club as they face the prospect of folding.
Nic White says: "If you haven't seen much of the footy Lukhan played over in Northampton, he was phenomenal over there in a really good side that was up the top in the English Premiership and European Cup.
"He was a great player when he left Australia, he's gone over there and taken his game to another level. He'll have brought back plenty of experience with him so it's good to see how far he's taken his game."
Cam Roigard
Scrumhalf, Wellington Hurricanes
The off-season departure of veteran No.9 Aaron Smith has opened the door for Roigard to step up in 2024. It's a handy position for the Hurricanes to be in, given Roigard was in the All Blacks' World Cup squad and made his Test debut last year.
Replacing Smith is no easy feat, but experts across the ditch have long viewed the 23-year-old as a player to watch. The Wellington squad is largely settled this year and the heartbreak of a quarter-final defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra will drive the team towards the finals.
Nic White says: "We're looking closely at the Hurricanes because we play them this week. Out of all the New Zealand teams, they're the ones to watch.
"Cam Roigard is a new face with all the skills, a big body, he's quick, a good pass, good kick and all the tools to be a really good player and he showed a fair bit of that in the All Blacks jersey.
"With Aaron Smith leaving, there's a fair bit of hunger from all the New Zealand nines looking to stake a claim for the jersey Aaron's had over the last 12 years. It will be exciting to see who puts their hand up and Cam is one at the forefront."