Waratahs skipper stand-in skipper Pat McCutcheon has lost his battle to be fit in time for Sunday's stoush with the Western Force with Northern Suburbs breakaway AJ Gilbert called up to make his debut.
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Gilbert goes straight into the starting line-up for McCutcheon, who suffered a knock to the knee last weekend and has not been able to recover as quickly as expected.
The clash in Perth will also mark another first - Tom Carter will make his debut as NSW captain in his 83rd appearance for the state.
Meanwhile, Brumbies halfback Nic White's Wallabies dream is in tatters but his Super Rugby title hopes are alive after scans delivered mixed news on his shoulder injury.
White will miss the next four weeks as he recovers from a small fracture to a shoulder. It means he's out of contention for a spot in the Wallabies squad to take on the British and Irish Lions in a once-in-a-career opportunity. White was tipped to be one of the six players added to Robbie Deans's squad on Tuesday. Instead the Brumbies' No.9 will put all his focus on making a comeback in his team's last regular season Super Rugby match on July 13 and then launching a finals campaign.
The Brumbies guaranteed themselves a place in the play-offs for the first time since 2004 when they beat the Rebels at Canberra Stadium on Friday night. But the night was soured when White - standing in as captain for the first time - lasted just nine minutes before he was forced from the field.
The 22-year-old has battled shoulder injuries for the past two seasons. White declined interviews and is understood to be shattered, having to sit back and watch the Lions series. But Brumbies stalwart Joe Roff hoped the excitement of chasing a Super Rugby championship would ease the pain.
''The Lions are the most unique international side that play and they've got so much history behind them, so to miss that opportunity is a devastating blow,'' Roff said. ''But taking Tests aside, if you were talking about Nic and if he had the chance to play against the Lions or in a Super Rugby final, then I'm sure he'd take a final with the Brumbies. The Lions are once in 12 years but the finals can be just as rare.''
White is aiming to return to the Brumbies' line-up for the clash with the Western Force in Perth next month. It's the second time he has injured his shoulder this year after he had to leave the field against the Sharks and missed the clash against the Stormers in March.
