Plus500 Brumbies Head Coach has made five changes for the Super Rugby Round 4 clash against the Rebels at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Friday including a first start for livewire centre Tom Wright.
Wright comes into the team at inside centre following his cameo from the replacements bench in both the matches against the Chiefs and Hurricanes, registering his first try for the club in Palmerston North last weekend.
The former Rugby League player will link up with Tevita Kuridrani in the centres as the Brumbies look to gain revenge for the opening Round defeat to their Australian Conference opponents at GIO Stadium.
The inclusion of Wright is one of a brace of changes in the backline with fan favourite Henry Speight sufficiently recovered from the knock he sustained against the Rebels to regain a position on the right-wing, forming a potentially explosive back-three alongside Andy Muirhead and Tom Banks.
There are three further changes in the pack as McKellar brings back Sam carter into the second row, reforming his locking partnership with Rory Arnold whilst there are two changes in the backrow.
Tom Cusack, who started the victory against the Chiefs in Canberra, is restored to the starting XV but is shifted into the number eight position with Rob Valetini back at blindside flaker, opposite the legendary David Pocock on the other flank , forming a backrow that will aim to pilfer and disrupt as much as possible.
On the bench, lock forward Murray Douglas, a former Melbourne Rebels player, is set to make his Brumbies debut as a replacement having been selected as cover for the second row, and there is a first chance for young scrumhalf Ryan Lonergan, fresh from a dazzling display for the Runners against Auckland.
Lonergan is in line for his second Brumbies appearance, having last been included in a squad in July 2017, making his debut against the Chiefs at FMG Stadium in Hamilton in a Round 17 fixture.
The Brumbies travel to Melbourne on Thursday morning for the clash which is scheduled for a 7.45pm kick-off on Friday evening. The game will be screened live on Fox Sports.
KO Friday 8 March 2019 Rebels v Brumbies at AAMI Park, Melbourne, 19:45 AEST
TEAM
Scott SIO
Folau FAINGA’A
Allan ALAALATOA
Rory ARNOLD
Sam CARTER
Rob VALETINI
David POCOCK
Tom CUSACK
Joe POWELL
Christian LEALIIFANO
Andy MUIRHEAD
Tom WRIGHT
Tevita KURIDRANI
Henry SPEIGHT
Tom BANKS
Josh MANN-REA
James SLIPPER
Leslie LEULUAIALII-MAKIN
Murray DOUGLAS
Pete SAMU
Ryan LONERGAN
Wharenui HAWERA
Chance PENI
