The NSW Waratahs have added Andrew Kellaway to the starting line-up for Friday’s Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific Round 7 tie against the Brumbies at GIO Stadium (7.35pm kick-off AEDT).
Kellaway, 30, missed last weekend’s defeat to the Blues through injury but returns here to take the place of Harry Potter, who misses out due to a quad injury.
Waratahs head coach Dan McKellar believes the physical battle and discipline will be key to the result on Friday night, while indicating Kellaway was ready to step back into the team.
“There'll be no surprises down there. It’s going to be a pretty cool Friday evening at GIO Stadium and so there'll be a bit of dew around,” McKellar said.
“They'll come hard at the breakdown, as they always do. You've got to be nice and physical down there and you've got to be accurate, while discipline's going to be really important.
“We've just got to roll our sleeves up and be hungry for what's going to be a physical contest.
“We were happy with our attack on the weekend and in particular how our centres and back three performed. There is an opening there on the wing and Kells (Andrew Kellaway) was a natural selection for us there.”
The front row of Tom Lambert, Ethan Dobbins and Daniel Botha remains unchanged, with the trio having started four of our five games together and impressing throughout.
In the second row, the combination of captain Matt Philip and Miles Amatosero continues, with Philip captaining his boyhood club for the sixth time.
In the back row, Clem Halaholo is again named at blindside flanker, with Englishman Jamie Adamson taking his place at openside. Adamson, 26, made a team high of 17 tackles against the Blues last weekend.
Pete Samu is named at number eight against his former club and will line up directly opposite Charlie Cale, who he mentored at the Brumbies. Samu, 34, spent five seasons at the Brumbies after signing ahead of the 2019 season, making 69 appearances and scoring 20 tries.
In the halves, Jake Gordon will line up opposite a rival for his Wallabies scrum-half jersey in Ryan Lonergan, which will be a key contest during the game.
Jack Debreczeni runs out a fly-half, starting his third game there in a row. The 32-year-old had three seasons at the Brumbies, receiving 28 Super Rugby caps. He is now six caps shy of 100 Super Rugby caps across his time at the Melbourne Rebels, Chiefs, Brumbies and now the Waratahs.
Lawson Creighton and Joey Walton form the centre partnership. Creighton was a late addition to the starting line-up last week, with Triston Reilly pulling out through a groin injury, and he may face his brother, Hudson, who has been at the Brumbies since 2002. It was earlier announced that outside centre Walton will move to French Top 14 side Montauban following the conclusion of this season.
Kellaway comes into the back three on the right wing, with Max Jorgensen on the left and Sid Harvey at full-back. Harvey, 20, jointly leads the Super Rugby Pacific rookie of the year voting after his showing last weekend, where he kicked four from four goals and carried 166m, the highest in the match by some distance.
On the bench, Folau Faingaa is another former Brumby who will line up against his former club. Faingaa played 63 times for the Canberra-based side between 2018 and 2022, scoring 34 tries. Jack Barrett will play his first of the game of the season should he take to the field, while Charlie Gamble and Triston Reilly are included having missed last weekend due to hamstring and adductor injuries respectively.
The Waratahs last won in Canberra in 2018, a 24-17 victory, where Gordon lined up for the away side at scrum-half, while Faingaa started the match at hooker for the Brumbies.
The Round 7 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific clash is the second match of a double header at GIO Stadium, with the Wallaroos taking on Fijiana beforehand (4.55pm kick-off).
Brumbies v Waratahs
Round 7 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific, Friday 27 March, 7.35pm kick-off AEDT
GIO Stadium, Battye St, Bruce, ACT 2617
Starting XV:
- Tom Lambert
- Ethan Dobbins
- Daniel Botha
- Matt Philip ©
- Miles Amatosero
- Clem Halaholo
- Jamie Adamson
- Pete Samu
- Jake Gordon
- Jack Debreczeni
- Max Jorgensen
- Lawson Creighton
- Joey Walton
- Andrew Kellaway
- Sid Harvey
Replacements:
16. Folau Faingaa
17. Jack Barrett
18. Siosifa Amone
19. Angus Blyth
20. Charlie Gamble
21. Angus Scott-Young
22. Teddy Wilson
23. Triston Reilly
Injury list:
- Austin Durbidge – appendicitis
- James Hendren – wrist
- Isaac Kailea - concussion
- Ioane Moananu – shoulder
- Harry Potter - quad
- Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii - hamstring
