The NSW Waratahs have made six changes to the starting line-up to take on rivals the Reds on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium (7.35pm kick-off AEDT).
They include fly-half Jack Debreczeni and Narrabri-born wing Sid Harvey, who both make their first starts for the club. As does lock Angus Blyth against his old team, with Triston Reilly also moving to outside centre to replace the injured Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Head coach Dan McKellar is anticipating a much stronger Reds performance from the 36-12 defeat to the Waratahs in Round 1, while also offering his backing to Reilly and Harvey.
“The Reds have certainly improved and we understand that when they were in Sydney a few weeks ago, they were down a couple of players,” McKellar said.
“They'll be a far greater challenge at Suncorp at the weekend and we know that we need to be significantly better than we were at home last week.
“Triston (Reilly) was always an option to be back-up 13. He’s a very, very good defender for us and his execution is excellent. Triston is a good bloke and a really popular member of the team. He just does his role and those players are so important.
“Sid was probably one of the shining lights from last Friday. He's just got this air of class about him, Sid, both as a footballer and as a human being. He's got time, he’s very composed and doesn't get rattled.”
Brisbane-born hooker Ethan Dobbins returns to the starting line-up having missed our Round 4 loss to the Hurricanes. He lines up between props Tom Lambert and Daniel Botha, completing the same front-row as the first two matches of the season.
In the second row, Blyth comes in for his first Waratahs start against his old club, partnering captain Matt Philip in the second row. Born in Wahroonga, the 206cm lock played his junior rugby for the Casuarina Beach Rugby Club on the New South Wales border. He went on to play 74 times for the Reds in Super Rugby Pacific.
In the back row, Clem Halaholo is named once again having started Round 1 and 2, lining up alongside the ever-present pair of Charlie Gamble and Pete Samu.
There is also a change in the halves, with Debreczeni coming in to make his first start at 10 with Jake Gordon at scrum-half. The experienced Debreczeni, 32, has 92 Super Rugby caps for the Melbourne Rebels, Chiefs and Brumbies and has played a total of 77 minutes off the bench for the Waratahs so far this season.
Triston Reilly moves from right wing to outside centre, with Joey Walton named at inside centre, one cap short of 50 Super Rugby appearances for the club.
In the back three, Harvey makes his first Super Rugby Pacific start at left wing. The 20-year old impressed as a substitute last weekend and kicked the first points of his career from the tee.
As a result, Max Jorgensen shifts to the right wing. Jorgensen leads the Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year voting and has scored two tries in each of his last three Super Rugby Pacific matches, becoming just the third player to do so in the last 15 years of the competition (Semisi Masirewa in 2019, Shaun Stevenson in 2023).
James Hendren, who missed our Round 4 loss to the Hurricanes, returns at full-back after being selected for the first two rounds.
On the bench, Miles Amatosero, Leafi Talataina and Lawson Creighton all drop down from the starting line-up, with wing Harry Potter completing the 23 after returning from a toe injury.
Reds v Waratahs
Round 5 Swyftx Super Rugby Pacific, Saturday 14 March, 7.35pm kick-off AEDT
Suncorp Stadium, 40 Castlemaine St, Milton QLD 4064
Starting XV:
- Tom Lambert
- Ethan Dobbins
- Daniel Botha
- Matt Philip ©
- Angus Blyth
- Clem Halaholo
- Charlie Gamble
- Pete Samu
- Jake Gordon
- Jack Debreczeni
- Sid Harvey
- Joey Walton
- Triston Reilly
- Max Jorgensen
- James Hendren
Replacements:
16. Ioane Moananu
17. Isaac Kailea
18. Siosifa Amone
19. Miles Amatosero
20. Leafi Talataina
21. Teddy Wilson
22. Lawson Creighton
23. Harry Potter
Injury list:
- Eamon Doyle – ankle injury
- Austin Durbidge - appendicitis
- Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii - hamstring
