Wallabies Return For Lions Test As Powell Hits Fifty

Thu, Apr 11, 2019, 9:45 AM
Brumbies.rugby
by Brumbies.rugby
Joe Powell will play his 50th Super Rugby game for the Brumbies having grown up in Canberra.
Joe Powell will play his 50th Super Rugby game for the Brumbies having grown up in Canberra.

The Plus500 Brumbies welcome back a trio of Wallabies to their starting XV for the visit of the Lions from South Africa, who have played in the last three Super Rugby Grand Finals, at GIO Stadium this Saturday evening.

Prop Scott Sio, hooker Folau Fainga’a and lock Rory Arnold all return to the starting team for a fixture that will see scrumhalf Joe Powell play his 50th Super Rugby game for the Brumbies. 

Lock Sam Carter and centre Tom Wright are the other changes to the starting team aiming to re-ignite their season with a third successive win at GIO Stadium, having claimed victories over the Waratahs and Chiefs in their last two home matches. 

For the visit of the Lions, currently sitting third in the South African Conference, Head Coach Dan McKellar has an all Wallaby front-five with Sio, Fainga’a and Allan Alaalatoa starting in the front row, locked by Carter and Arnold.

Fellow international Pete Samu is at flanker, alongside Tom Cusack and the reliable Lachlan McCaffrey. 

Wright returns to the starting XV to partner with Tevita Kuridrani in the centres, the duo having last linked up for the clash with the Rebels in Melbourne. Wright has been in scintillating form in the opening rounds of the Griffin Legal John I Dent Cup for his club side, Wests.

Aside from the inclusion of Wright, the backline remains the same as that who played the Crusaders with try-scores Christian Lealiifano, who will captain the side, and Kuridrani aiming to get quick ball wide to utilise the speed and finishing prowess of a lightning-fast back-three of Toni Pulu, Henry Speight and Tom Banks.

There’s an experienced look to the core of finishers that includes props James Slipper and Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, plus hooker Josh Mann-Rea. Darcy Swain and Jahrome Brown are the other forward options amongst the five/three split with back cover provided by scrumhalf Matt Lucas, centre Irae Simone and winger Andy Muirhead. 

The team will head into a two-game road trip immediately after the final whistle, flying to South Africa in the early hours of Sunday morning for their first stop in Cape Town.

The Plus500 Brumbies showdown with the Lions, which is sure to provide huge entertainment, kicks-off at 7:45pm this Saturday with tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or at the GIO Stadium entrance on matchday. Gates open from 4:20pm.

There are two pre-match fixtures taking place prior to the game this weekend, as St. Edmunds College and Kinross Wolaroi First XVs do battle from 4.30pm followed by the annual ACT Vets v Royal Navy Old Salts meet-up with a 5.30pm kick-off.


TEAM


1. Scott SIO
2. Folau FAINGA’A
3. Allan ALAALATOA
4. Rory ARNOLD
5. Sam CARTER
6. Pete SAMU
7. Tom CUSACK
8. Lachlan MCCAFFREY
9. Joe POWELL
10. Christian LEALIIFANO
11. Toni PULU
12. Tom WRIGHT
13. Tevita KURIDRANI
14. Henry SPEIGHT
15. Tom BANKS

REPLACEMENTS

16. Josh MANN-REA
17. James SLIPPER
18. Leslie LEULUAIALII-MAKIN
19. Darcy SWAIN
20. Jahrome BROWN
21. Matt LUCAS
22. Irae SIMONE
23. Andy MUIRHEAD

MATCH DETAILS

Saturday 13 April 2019
Super Rugby Round 9
Plus500 Brumbies v Lions
(GIO Stadium, 19:45)

 
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