Wallaby Pat McCabe will make his Super Rugby comeback at inside centre when the ACT Brumbies play the Southern Kings at Canberra Stadium on Friday night.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Five months after breaking his neck, McCabe will be injected straight into the starting XV despite playing just 30 minutes since November last year.
The top of the table Brumbies have tinkered with the line-up to take on competition newcomers the Kings.
Flyhalf Matt Toomua is being rested with Christian Lealiifano stepping into the No 10 jersey to take over the chief playmaker role.
McCabe slots in at inside centre while fullback Jesse Mogg still hasn't recovered from a busted shoulder.
In the forward pack, rookie Siliva Siliva will make his starting debut when he replaces Wallabies hooker Stephen Moore in the front row.
Powerful Samoan Fotu Auelua is back in the starting pack at the back of the scrum with skipper Ben Mowen moving to blindside flanker and Peter Kimlin shifting into lock with Etienne Oosthuizen.
Scott Fardy has been given a week to get over his injuries with second-rower Sam Carter returning to the bench after being rotated out of the squad last weekend.
The Brumbies are rated a $1.01 chance of beating the Kings despite making a host of changes to their team.
For McCabe, it's the second comeback he's made this year.
The 25-year-old fractured the C1 vertebra in his neck while playing for the Wallabies in Europe last year.
The injury had potential to end his career, but after three months in a neck brace he was ready to get back on the field last month.
However, his initial comeback came to a frustrating halt when after playing just 30 minutes for the ACT XV he was forced to leave the field with an injured hamstring.
It put him in the rehabilitation group for another four weeks and he has finally been given the all clear to return to Super Rugby action.
Toomua has played every match this season after having a knee reconstruction last year.
But White said it was time to give the 23-year-old a rest.
Lealiifano took over the playmaking duties with Toomua on the sideline last season, but has spent the start of the 2013 campaign at inside centre.
The Brumbies have lost just one game this year and are at the top of the overall ladder and lead the Australian conference.
In contrast, the Kings have won just one game in their debut Super Rugby season and are preparing for their first game in Australia.
SUPER RUGBY ROUND 8
Friday: ACT Brumbies v Southern Kings at Canberra Stadium, 7.40pm
BRUMBIES
1. Ben Alexander, 2. Siliva Siliva, 3. Dan Palmer, 4. Peter Kimlin, 5. Etienne Oosthuizen, 6. Ben Mowen, 7. George Smith, 8. Fotu Auelua, 9. Nic White, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Joseph Tomane, 12. Pat McCabe, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Henry Speight, 15. Robbie Coleman. Reserves: 16. Stephen Moore, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Sam Carter, 19. Colby Faingaa, 20. Ian Prior, 21. Andrew Smith, 22. Zack Holmes.
