Round Three of Harvey Norman Super Rugby AU this weekend and all the team news is here from 5pm AEDT Wednesday 24 February.
The NSW Waratahs host the Western Force on Friday night at Bankwest Stadium from 7.45pm AEDT to open Round Three.
Then, on Saturday night, the Melbourne Rebels travel to the capital to face the Brumbies at GIO Stadium in Canberra from 7.45pm AEDT.
All your team news here from 5pm AEDT ahead of Round Two of Harvey Norman Super Rugby AU.
Friday 5 March 7:45pm AEDT – NSW Waratahs vs Western Force at Bankwest Stadium, ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.
Want to get to the game? Make sure you’ve got your tickets beforehand!
Rob Penney has tinkered with his match day 23 with Angus Bell the only player to drop out following last week's record defeat to the Brumbies in Canberra.
Veteran Tetera Faulkner moves into the front row alongside Dave Porecki while Penney has sprung one surprise with Jack Maddocks shifting to the right wing to allow Mark Nawaqanitawase at fullback.
Meanwhile the Western Force have selected Pumas star Tomas Cubelli at scrumhalf in place of club skipper Ian Prior for the clash against the Tahs.
Cubelli will partner Jake McIntyre in the halves as Jono Lance drops out entirely. Another off-season recruit, Toni Pulu, has been named to line-up on the left wing to round out a star-studded backline.
NSW WARATAHS: (1-15): Tetera Faulkner, Dave Porecki, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Sam Caird, Hugh Sinclair, Lachlan Swinton, Carlo Tizzano, Jack Dempsey, Jack Grant, Will Harrison, James Ramm, Tepai Moeroa, Alex Newsome (c), Jack Maddocks, Mark Nawaqanitawase
Reserves: Tom Horton, Sio Tatola, Chris Talakai, Jack Whetton, Jeremy Williams, Henry Robertson, Tane Edmed, Triston Reilly
INs: Chris Talakai
OUTs: Angus Bell
WESTERN FORCE (1-15): Tom Robertson, Feleti Kaitu'u, Santiago Medrano, Jeremy Thrush, Fergus Lee-Warner, Tim Anstee, Kane Koteka, Brynard Stander (c), Tomas Cubelli, Jake McIntyre, Toni Pulu, Richard Kahui, Tevita Kuridrani, Byron Ralston, Rob Kearney
Reserves: Andrew Ready, Angus Wagner, Greg Holmes, Ryan McCauley, Tomas Lezana, Ian Prior, Domingo Miotti, Marcel Brache
INs: Domingo Miotti, Toni Pulu
OUTs: Jono Lance, Kyle Godwin
Saturday 6 March 7:45pm AEDT – Brumbies vs Melbourne Rebels at GIO Stadium, ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport and simulcast on 9Gem.
Get down to the game! Make sure you’ve got your tickets beforehand!
Brumbies veteran Scott Sio makes his long awaited return from injury on Saturday night against the Melbourne Rebels with James Slipper out with injury.
Sio is the only change to the side that thrashed the Waratahs 61-10 in Canberra last weekend with Dan McKellar making an additional two alterations to his bench.
James Hanson will pull on the Rebels jersey once again at GIO Stadium, following an off-season move from Gloucester in the UK. Hanson replaces Jordan Uelese who expected to miss three weeks with a hand injury suffered against the Reds.
Hanson is one of three changes to Dave Wessels match-day 23, as Ross Haylett-Petty starts in the second row and Lucio Sordoni on the bench.
BRUMBIES (1-15): Scott Sio, Connal McInerney, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Darcy Swain, Cadeyrn Neville, Rob Valetini, Jahrome Brown, Pete Samu, Nic White, Noah Lolesio, Mack Hansen, Irae Simone, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Banks
Reserves: Lachlan Lonergan, Harry Lloyd, Tom Ross, James Tucker*, Tom Cusack, Ryan Lonergan, Reesjan Pasitoa, Solomone Kata
INs: Scott Sio, James Tucker, Solomone Kata
OUTs: James Slipper (knee), Nick Frost, Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa
MELBOURNE REBELS (1-15): Cabous Eloff, James Hanson, Pone Faamausili, Ross Haylett-Petty, Trevor Hosea, Josh Kemeny, Richard Hardwick, Michael Wells, Joe Powell, Matt To'omua (c), Marika Koroibete, Reece Hodge, Stacey Ili, Lachlan Anderson, Tom Pincus
Reserves: Ed Craig, Isaac Aedo Kailea, Lucio Sordoni, Steve Cummins, Rob Leota, James Tuttle/Brad Wilkin/Tom Nowlan (TBC), Frank Lomani, Glen Vaihu
INs: James Hanson, Ross Haylett-Petty, Lucio Sordoni
OUTs: Jordan Uelese, Rhy van Nek
READ MORE:
RWC 2022: Women's World Cup postponed to next year
HOOPS AND READ: Former foes now good mates in Japan
SEED OF DOUBT: Force chipping away ahead of Tah week
