Rebels lose Toomua, Hodge for Sharks clash
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Melbourne Rebels coach Dave Wessels has revealed his Round Four side to face the Sharks in Ballarat this Saturday.
Matt Toomua and Reece Hodge have both succumbed to groin complaints and will miss the fixture, paving the way for flatmates Andrew Deegan and Andrew Kellaway to slide into the starting XV.
Kellaway scored two tries in the second half during last Friday’s win over the Waratahs and is the franchise’s leading try-scorer with three in 2020.
Meanwhile, Deegan comes in for Matt Toomua, marking his first start in Super Rugby.
His selection follows an impressive 2019 campaign with the Western Force in the National Rugby Championship, where the twenty-four-year-old led the competition in points, assists and conversions.
Jermaine & Billy set to earn their 5️⃣0️⃣th Super Rugby cap this weekend in Ballarat.#MarchWithUs pic.twitter.com/pCh8oMt7mY
— Melbourne Rebels (@MelbourneRebels) February 20, 2020
Meanwhile, Jermaine Ainsley and Billy Meakes set to bring up their 50th Super Rugby games.
Ainsley, signed with Melbourne in 2018, will make his second start of this season, replacing Ruan Smith at tight-ead prop.
He will be joined in the front row by newly re-signed prop Matt Gibbon and Steve Misa who will be making his run-on debut at hooker.
Tom English will also make his first appearance in the navy blue for 2020, named to start off the bench.
The stalwart could potentially bring up his 95th cap in Ballarat; drawing him ever closer to becoming the first Rebel to appear 100 times for the Rebels in Super Rugby.
Rebels: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty (captain), 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Campbell Magnay, 12 Billy Meakes, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Andrew Deegan, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Michael Wells, 5 Matt Philip, 4 Ross Haylett-Petty, 3 Jermaine Ainsley, 2 Steven Misa, 1 Matt Gibbon.
Replacements: 16 Anaru Rangi, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Gideon Koegelenberg, 20 Angus Cottrell, 21 Rob Leota, 22 Frank Lomani, 23 Tom English.
Date: Saturday, February 22
Venue: MARS Stadium, Ballarat
Kick-off: 14.45 (05.45 SA time; 03.45 GMT)
Referee: AJ Jacobs (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy (Australia), James Quinn (Australia)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)
