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Canberra - Brumbies head coach Dan McKellar has made two changes to his starting XV for the Friday night showdown with the Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane with Rory Arnold and Lachlan McCaffrey coming into the side.
Lock Arnold replaces his brother Richie in the second row with McCaffrey, who made a try scoring appearance for the luckless Rob Valetini against the Sunwolves in Tokyo, starting his first Brumbies Super Rugby match since 2014.
There are three changes amongst the replacements with Auckland-born prop Nic Mayhew recovered from injury and selected on the bench in place of Faalelei Sione, whilst Lolo Fakaosilea comes in as back row cover and Blake Enever, a non-playing reserve in Tokyo, back in the match-day twenty-three.
Other than that, it’s as you were for the team that scored five tries in the gutsy 32-25 success over the Sunwolves, a match in which the Brumbies showed excellent character and composure to overturn a half-time deficit to claim the victory.
Ben Alexander edges ever-closer to the 150-cap milestone by starting in an unchanged front row alongside hooker Josh Mann-Rea and Allan Alaalatoa, the former having scored a trademark try off the back of a rolling maul at the Prince Chichibu Stadium.
Sam Carter will lead the team as captain, lining up alongside Arnold in an all-Wallaby second row, with McCaffrey packing down in a dynamic looking back row combination alongside the mobile Tom Cusack and the hard-running Isi Naisarani.
Joe Powell and Christian Lealiifano form the halfback pairing with the duo aiming to continue to enhance their understanding together and free the likes of Kyle Godwin and Tevita Kuridrani into open ground, both of whom claimed tries in the opening round success.
Out wide Henry Speight and Chance Peni will be looking to get ball in hand in space with Tom Banks another potent attacking threat from fullback, Banks making a return to his former stomping ground having earned a brace of caps for the Reds before heading to the national capital.
Outside of the three changes on the bench outlined, Robbie Abel continues as back-up hooker with Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin the other prop option alongside the returning Mayhew.
McKellar has opted for a five/three split in the replacements with scrumhalf Matt Lucas, utility back Wharenui Hawera and Lausii Taliauli the options available.
Teams:
Reds
15 Aidan Toua, 14 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Duncan Paia’aua, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Jono Lance, 9 James Tuttle, 8 Caleb Timu, 7 Liam Wright, 6 Adam Korczyk, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 James Slipper (captain)
Substitutes: 16 Alex Mafi, 17 JP Smith, 18 Sef Fa’agase, 19 Harry Hockings, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Hamish Stewart, 23 Filipo Daugunu
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Kyle Godwin, 11 Chance Peni, 10 Christian Lealiifano (co-captain), 9 Joe Powell, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Tom Cusack, 6 Lachlan Mccaffrey, 5 Sam Carter, (co-captain) 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Mann-Rea, 1 Ben Alexander
Substitutes: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Nic Mayhew, 18 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Blake Enever, 20 Lolo Fakaosilea, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Wharenui Hawera, 23 Lausii Taliauli
