Australian rugby veteran James Slipper is not ready to walk away just yet.
The 37-year-old Wallabies prop has signed a contract extension with the ACT Brumbies that will see him return for the 2027 Super Rugby season, extending an extraordinary professional career into a 17th season.
Slipper has already rewritten the Super Rugby record books. After making his competition debut with the Queensland Reds in 2010, he reached 203 appearances in March 2026, moving past New Zealand great Wyatt Crockett to become the most-capped player in Super Rugby history.
Now, he is adding another chapter.
“I still love coming in every day and competing with this group,” Slipper said after confirming his new deal with the Brumbies. He said his body still feels good, he continues to enjoy playing and believes he still has plenty to contribute both on the field and within the team.
From Queensland debut to Super Rugby immortality
Slipper began his Super Rugby career with the Queensland Reds in 2010 and went on to make 104 appearances for the club before joining the Brumbies in 2019.
His longevity has placed him in rare territory. By 2026, he had become the first player to surpass 200 Super Rugby appearances and subsequently established a new competition record with his 203rd match.
During the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific season, Slipper continued to contribute despite being one of the competition’s oldest players. The Brumbies recorded 694 minutes from him, along with 112 tackles, 85 metres carried and five defenders beaten. He also scored a memorable try in his 200th appearance during the Brumbies’ victory over the Crusaders.
His value goes beyond the statistics
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham believes Slipper’s importance cannot be measured simply by minutes played or tackles made.
Larkham praised the veteran prop’s performances while highlighting his leadership and influence on younger players.
Slipper has become a key figure in the Brumbies environment, helping establish standards for preparation, training and professionalism while passing his experience on to the next generation.
That leadership could prove particularly important as the Brumbies continue rebuilding and looking to challenge for major honours.
The Wallabies door is not completely closed
Slipper’s future became even more intriguing in 2026.
After initially stepping away from international rugby, he was brought back into the Wallabies squad amid an injury crisis among Australia’s props. He returned for the July Nations Championship campaign and earned his 154th Test appearance against Italy.
That took his international career to another extraordinary milestone.
Slipper is already Australia’s most-capped men’s international rugby player, with 154 Test appearances, further cementing his status as one of the country’s most durable rugby figures.
And although his immediate focus is the Brumbies, the possibility of another Wallabies opportunity remains an intriguing subplot heading toward the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
One more season — and perhaps more history
The Brumbies finished sixth in the 2026 Super Rugby Pacific standings before suffering a heavy 66-12 playoff defeat against the eventual champions, the Wellington Hurricanes.
For Slipper, however, the disappointment has not ended the ambition.
The veteran says he believes the Brumbies have the coaching staff and playing group capable of competing for championships in the coming years — and he wants to be part of that push.
At 37, Slipper is preparing for another season in a sport notorious for punishing front-row forwards.
But the numbers tell a remarkable story: 17 Super Rugby seasons, more than 200 appearances and a record that now belongs entirely to him.
The boots are still on.
And with the 2027 Rugby World Cup approaching on home soil, the biggest question may no longer be whether James Slipper can keep going.
It is how much more history he can still make.
WWC ONE MEDIA MJE
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