There is a strong South African flavour in the Sunwolves team named to face the Brumbies in a Super Rugby clash in Wollongong on Friday.
Kick-off is at 05:45 (SA time).
Register your interest for the British & Irish Lions tickets in South Africa 2021
Coach Naoya Okubo opted to make several changes to the team that lost 62-15 to the Hurricanes last weekend.
There is a new front row in the form of former Bulls prop Conraad van Vuuren, Efitusi Maafu and Nic Mayhew. There is also a new loose forward combination with Shunsuke Nunomaki and former Sharks flank Justin Downey joining captain Jake Schatz in the starting XV.
Springbok scrumhalf Rudy Paige retains the No 9 jersey, with fellow South African Garth April coming back into the team at flyhalf.
There is also a new back three in the form of Tautalatasi Tasi, Yoshizumi Takeda and Springbok JJ Engelbrecht on the wing.
Teams:
Sunwolves
15 Yoshizumi Takeda, 14 JJ Engelbrecht, 13 Siosaia Fifita, 12 Ben Te’o, 11 Tautalatasi Tasi, 10 Garth April, 9 Rudy Paige, 8 Jake Schatz (captain), 7 Shunsuke Nunomaki, 6 Justin Downey, 5 Michael Stolberg, 4 Kotaro Yatabe, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Efitusi Maafu, 1 Nic Mayhew
Substitutes: 16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Jarred Adams, 18 Hencus van Wyk, 19 Ben Hyne, 20 Tevita Tupou, 21 Naoto Saito, 22 Jumpei Ogura, 23 Keisuke Moriya
Brumbies
15 Tom Banks, 14 Solomone Kata, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Toni Pulu, 10 Noah Lolesio, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Will Miller, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Cadeyrn Neville, 4 Murray Douglas, 3 Allan Alaalatoa (captain), 2 Connal McInerney, 1 Scott Sio
Substitutes: 16 Lachlan Lonergan, 17 James Slipper, 18 Tom Ross, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Tom Cusack, 21 Joe Powell, 22 Reesjan Pasitoa, 23 Tom Wright
????????????
— ??????/SUNWOLVES (@sunwolves) March 4, 2020
?? #???????? 2020 Round 6
???03.06 FRI. 12:45 Kick-off
???WIN????? / WIN Stadium, Wollongong
???????? / #Brumbies ????
?STATShttps://t.co/QyCBkZLSER
?J SPORTS 3 (LIVE)
???????????????#?????? #Sunwolves #KEEPHUNTING pic.twitter.com/3JUldZ0vGa