The ACT Brumbies have shown complete faith in Christian Lealiifano's recovery from a badly broken ankle, appointing the 25-year-old playmaker as one of three vice-captains for the 2013 Super Rugby season.
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Lealiifano will join Australian Wallabies representatives David Pocock and Stephen Moore as deputies to Brumbies skipper Ben Mowen, who has retained the Brumbies captaincy.
There was little surprise about the appointments of Pocock and Moore, given Pocock has been Australian Wallabies skipper and Moore is Australia's most capped hooker.
But Lealiifano has been chosen in the leadership group ahead of Wallabies centre Pat McCabe, who is coming back from a serious neck injury.
Lealiifano was the standout player for the Brumbies in 2012 before breaking his ankle in the Brumbies' round 11 win over the NSW Waratahs in May.
It was a cruel blow for Lealiifano, who had catapulted himself into the box seat for a Wallabies debut.
Lealiifano also used the injury time to have a shoulder reconstruction, but is confident of being fit for the Brumbies trial matches and the season-opener, against the Queensland Reds on February 16.
