Veteran Brumbies prop Scott Sio will make his first Super Rugby appearance this season against the Melbourne Rebels at GIO Stadium on Saturday, 6 March at 7.45pm.
His inclusion is the only change to the Brumbies starting side that are coming off a record-breaking victory over the Waratahs last weekend.
The defending champions sit on top of the Super Rugby AU ladder and will be looking to make it three wins on the trot to start 2021.
Also making his return to the gameday squad is outside back Solomone Kata who will get his first action off the bench.
Former Junior All Black James Tucker has also been included on the bench and is in line to become Brumby number 230.
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said Sio, Kata and Tucker are all ready to go.
“Scotty’s prepared well and got 60 minutes last week with the Runners and Lloydy’s been very good off the bench after a really strong preseason,” said McKellar.
“Sol Kata’s the same, he played in the Runners game and will get a chance off the bench and James Tucker is looking at his first game for the Brumbies which is a great story.
“He’s had to face and deal with a lot of adversity injury wise so I’m really pleased he’s back playing Super Rugby.”
Meanwhile, their opponents, the Rebels, have made four changes to the side that lost to the Queensland Reds by two-points in their first game of the season last week.
James Hanson, Josh Kemeny and Ross Haylett-Petty come into a new look forward pack, while Lucio Sordoni will make his Rebels debut off the bench.
Former Brumbies Joe Powell and Matt To’omua makeup a formidable halves pairing for the Melbourne club.
Full Brumbies and Rebels teams
Brumbies | Rebels | |||
1 | Scott Sio | 1 | Cabous Eloff | |
2 | Connal McInerney | 2 | James Hanson | |
3 | Allan Alaalatoa (c) | 3 | Pone Faamausili | |
4 | Darcy Swain | 4 | Ross Haylett-Petty | |
5 | Cadeyrn Neville | 5 | Trevor Hosea | |
6 | Rob Valetini | 6 | Joshua Kemeny | |
7 | Jahrome Brown | 7 | Richard Hardwick | |
8 | Pete Samu | 8 | Michael Wells | |
9 | Nic White | 9 | Joe Powell | |
10 | Noah Lolesio | 10 | Matt To’omua (C) | |
11 | Mack Hansen | 11 | Marika Koroibete | |
12 | Irae Simone | 12 | Reece Hodge | |
13 | Len Ikitau | 13 | Stacey Ili | |
14 | Andy Muirhead | 14 | Lachlan Anderson | |
15 | Tom Banks | 15 | Tom Pincus | |
Replacements | Replacements | |||
16 | Lachlan Lonergan | 16 | Ed Craig | |
17 | Harry Lloyd | 17 | Isaac Aedo Kailea | |
18 | Tom Ross | 18 | Lucio Sordoni | |
19 | James Tucker | 19 | Steve Cummins | |
20 | Tom Cusack | 20 | Robert Leota | |
21 | Ryan Lonergan | 21 | (James Tuttle/Brad Wilkin/Tom Nowlan) | |
22 | Reesjan Pasitoa | 22 | Frank Lomani | |
23 | Solomone Kata | 23 | Glen Vaihu |
The match will be shown live on 9Gem and Stan Sport.
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