Slipper shock: Veteran's surprise at record as key staffer joins Wallabies

A grizzled veteran from Queensland, the prop is more comfortable doing the dirty work and leaving the limelight for others.

So Slipper has been slightly uncomfortable throughout the past fortnight as he has been showered with praise by the Australian rugby community.

He drew level with Stephen Moore as the country's most capped Super Rugby player in Saturday's tense win over the Queensland Reds and will stand alone on top of the tally when he runs out for his 178^th cap against the Waratahs this weekend.

It's a testament to Slipper's longevity in a brutal sport and the respect he holds among players and fans across the nation.

So even if the 34-year-old would prefer if the milestone flies under the radar, he is appreciative of the way the Brumbies have celebrated his achievement.

"The boys are pretty happy about it because they get to give me another tough week," Slipper joked.

"I'm excited, I'm looking forward to getting a good result and capping [the milestone] off."

Slipper emerged as a highly-touted teenager from the Gold Coast to make his Queensland Reds debut in 2010, with a Wallabies call up coming later that year.

Super Rugby success quickly followed with a 2011 title and he went on to play 104 games for the team.

A move to Canberra for the 2019 season provided a fresh start after a messy end to his time in Brisbane, involving a drugs ban and battle with depression.

Six years later and Slipper can't believe he's still here.

"I think about it all the time," he said. "I never thought I'd be in Canberra for six years but I've fallen in love with the place and the club itself.

"I'm really enjoying my rugby and how long I'm here, who knows, but I'll enjoy it right to the end."

One man who isn't surprised Slipper quickly fell in love with Canberra is current Brumbies skipper Allan Alaalatoa.

Having played alongside the veteran for the Wallabies, Alaalatoa knew Slipper would be a perfect fit in the ACT set up.

The veteran was simply the latest in a long line of players to move to Canberra chasing an opportunity and a fresh start and he instantly found a home in the squad.

For Alaalatoa, the ability to slide straight into the team is a sign of Slipper's character.

"It's how much he cares for the players outside of rugby and gets around the boys," Alaalatoa said. "As a leader he gives time to the younger lads to talk through their games, he gives time to get to know them.

"On the field he's an authentic leader who leads through actions and that's well respected. The weight he holds behind things he says is so strong through his actions.

"He's just a quality bloke to have off the field. He genuinely cares about people so he has that relationship to really demand a lot from others so he's a special man."

Once he runs out for game 178, the focus will quickly turn to the future and whether Slipper can become the first Australian to reach 200 caps.

Slipper is contracted through to the end of next season but would require a clean bill of health and some finals success to notch a double century.

For now, the 34-year-old is happy to commit his focus to helping the Brumbies claim a breakthrough Super Rugby title.

"We'll see what happens," Slipper said. "I'm just looking at this year only at the moment."

The ACT Brumbies are searching to fill a massive hole in their high-performance program after general manager Chris Thomson was poached to join Joe Schmidt's Wallabies staff.

Thomson has been announced as the Wallabies' new team manager, stepping into the same role his father Phil previously had.

Thomson has the potential to be a perfect fit for Schmdit's rebuild after a horror year. But his departure from the Brumbies is a blow after taking charge of Super Rugby contracts and development pathways for the past 18 months.

He was previously employed at World Rugby in the high-performance and player development units after a stint as general manager of the Fijian Drua.

"Knowing Chris from his time at World Rugby, he will work extremely hard behind the scenes to make sure we are well organised from an off-field perspective," Schmidt said.

Thomson will work alongside Schmidt, who also announced New Zealand scrum guru Mike Cron as one of his assistants.

Cron has been coaching for more than 30 years, most notably in New Zealand where he was an assistant with the All Blacks for more than 200 Tests.

Having spent time working across six continents, Cron has also been a consultant with World Rugby in recent years.

"Mike has added tremendous value in every programme he has been involved with and brings a wealth of knowledge to our coaching group," Schmidt said.

Cron joins veteran forwards coach Laurie Fisher on Schmidt's team.

The ACT Brumbies are optimistic skipper Ryan Lonergan will be fit to line up for Saturday's showdown with the NSW Waratahs.

The scrumhalf sent a shiver through the team when he sat out the early stages of training on Tuesday.

Lonergan received treatment for a lower leg injury amid a tough week for the family, with younger brother Lachlan undergoing surgery for a fractured and dislocated ankle on Sunday.

Fellow veteran Darcy Swain also left training early to undergo a scan on an apparent hand injury on a chaotic morning for the club.

Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham is set to name the duo in his team on Wednesday afternoon, with the coach confident they will be fit to line up on Saturday.

The team also received a major boost with hooker Connal McInerney set to return for his first game since undergoing a neck operation four months ago.

The 29-year-old will play from the bench, with Billy Pollard promoted to the starting side as Lonergan spends four to five months on the sidelines.

The Brumbies were scrambling to establish a back up plan earlier in the week, with fears McInerney may not be ready to return to the field.

Uncapped rookie Liam Bowron and scrum coach John Ulugia were in the mix for an unlikely call up. That, however, has been avoided for now.

The squad has rallied around Lonergan as he recovers from surgery and he is expected to return to Canberra later in the week.

Injured skipper Allan Alaalatoa is in the process of his own recovery from a serious injury and backed the youngster to make a successful return.

"I sent him a message after the game," Alaalatoa said. "It's letting him be for the first couple of weeks while he gets through that process of accepting the injury.

"When he comes in then I'll get around him and give him a few tips on what I went through and what I did through my challenges going through that rehab process.

"It's a tough time for him, it was sad to see him go down with how well he was playing but someone like him and how hard he works, he's going to bounce back better."