Minor tweak for 'settled' Brumbies
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Brumbies Head Coach Dan McKellar has made just one change to the team that defeated the Bulls at GIO Stadium last week.
The coach has opted to rotate prop James Slipper into the starting XV for the visit to Tokyo and the match with the Sunwolves at the Prince Chichibunomiya Memorial Stadium.
Slipper comes into the front row, with Scott Sio rotated to the bench, and will pack down alongside ten-try hooker Folau Fainga’a and Allan Alaalatoa as the Brumbies look for a repeat of the bonus-point win over their Japanese opponents in Round 13 a few weeks ago.
Other than the front row change, the team will be the same that took to the field and recorded a sixth home win in succession against the South African Bulls, a victory that puts the Brumbies on top of the Australian Conference heading into the final three rounds of the season.
There are two changes amongst the replacements as Lachlan McCaffrey makes a welcome return from injury, the flank having completed a decent stint with his club side Quenabeyan Whites in the Griffin Legal John I Dent Cup last weekend.
McCaffrey’s Queanbeyan teammate, Matt Lucas, is recalled to the finishers having last featured against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires.
Rory Arnold and Sam Carter remain in situ in the second row, with the highly-mobile backrow combination of Jahrome Brown, Tom Cusack and Pete Samu once more named by McKellar.
The back-line, which has been in scintillating form in recent weeks, is the same as that which combined for eight tries in the past two games, with Irae Simone, who crossed for his maiden Super Rugby try in the win over the Bulls, partnered in midfield with Tevita Kuridrani who grabbed a hat-trick in the same game.
Out wide Henry Speight, who has been in sparkling form in recent weeks, lines up on the opposite flank to fellow speedster Toni Pulu with fullback Tom Banks completing the starting XV.
Brumbies: 15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Irae Simone, 11 Toni Pulu, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Pete Samu, 7 Jahrome Brown, 6 Tom Cusack, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’A, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Connal Mcinerney, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Lachlan Mccaffrey, 21 Rob Valetini, 22 Matt Lucas, 23 Tom Wright
Date: Saturday, June 1
Venue: Prince Chichibunomiya Memorial Stadium, Tokyo
Kick-off: 14.15 ( 05.15 GMT,15.15 Australian Time)
Referee: Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Assistant referees: Nick Briant (New Zealand), Shuhei Kubo (Japan)
TMO: Minoru Fuji (Japan)
TEAM NEWS | #SUNvBRU 🐺🐴 #BrumbiesFamily pic.twitter.com/SeW8d94A6f
— Plus500 Brumbies (@BrumbiesRugby) May 30, 2019
