James Slipper Re-Signs With Brumbies for 17th Super Rugby Season

The most durable engine in southern hemisphere rugby is firing up for another lap. James Slipper, the 37-year-old prop who has anchored scrums through three different eras of the sport, has officially inked a one-year contract extension with the ACT Brumbies for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season. The deal ensures the veteran will extend his all-time competition appearance record and keeps him firmly in the frame for a historic home Rugby World Cup.[1][4]

When Slipper made his professional debut for the Queensland Reds in 2010, the iPhone 4 was the pinnacle of tech and South African franchises still anchored the Super Rugby calendar. Fast forward to late 2026, and the front-rower stands alone. He holds the outright Super Rugby appearance record with 212 caps—having surpassed Crusaders legend Wyatt Crockett—and sits second on the all-time international list with 154 Test caps for the Wallabies, trailing only Welsh lock Alun Wyn Jones.[1][3][4]

“The body still feels good, I'm enjoying my footy and I feel like I've still got plenty to contribute, both on the field and around the group,” Slipper said in a statement released by the Brumbies. “We've built something really special at the Brumbies, and I still get a lot of enjoyment out of being part of it. As long as that's the case, I'm excited to keep pulling on the Brumbies jersey.”[1][5]

Age has done little to blunt his physical output. During the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, Slipper logged a heavy 694 minutes in the front row, making 112 tackles, carrying for 85 metres, and beating five defenders. He even crossed for a rare try during his milestone 200th competition match, helping the Brumbies secure a gritty away victory over the Crusaders in Christchurch.[1][2][3]

For Brumbies head coach Stephen Larkham, retaining Slipper was about far more than just on-field metrics. The Canberra-based franchise finished sixth in the 2026 regular season before crashing out against the Hurricanes in the playoffs, and Larkham is leaning heavily on Slipper's institutional knowledge to steady the ship. “Slips is still playing outstanding rugby. He was one of our most consistent performers throughout 2026,” Larkham noted. “What he brings away from game day is just as important. He's an exceptional leader, he drives standards every day and the knowledge he passes on to our younger players is invaluable.”[1][4][5]

The extension carries massive implications for the international stage. Slipper had quietly retired from Wallabies duty following the 2023 World Cup cycle, but answered an SOS from former national coach Joe Schmidt in July 2026 to play in the Nations Championship series when Australia faced a prop injury crisis. That brief return pushed his Test tally to 154 caps.[3][4][6]

Now, the 2027 extension aligns perfectly with the upcoming Rugby World Cup, hosted on Australian soil. If Slipper makes the final squad, he will become the first Australian—and only the fourth player in the history of the sport, joining Samoa's Brian Lima and Italian duo Mauro Bergamasco and Sergio Parisse—to compete in five global tournaments.[4][6]

The Brumbies will now build their 2027 pack around the veteran, pairing him once again with long-time front-row partner Allan Alaalatoa. As the franchise looks to bridge the gap between their seasoned core and an emerging crop of academy forwards, Slipper remains the ultimate standard-bearer. The man who has seen it all is officially strapping in for season seventeen.[1][3]