ACT Brumbies coach Dan McKellar has backed David Pocock to step straight into a derby against the Wallabies skipper and is hopeful of a triple injury boost for the clash against the NSW Waratahs.
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Pocock will almost certainly make his Australian rugby comeback when the Brumbies play the Waratahs at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
The 65-Test flanker is set to be thrown into a No. 7 battle against Michael Hooper in what will be his first game for the Brumbies since the 2016 finals series.
The Brumbies are also set to be bolstered by the return of hooker Robbie Abel (ribs) and co-captain Sam Carter (concussion) for the hyped-up interstate battle.
Abel is all of a sudden a key inclusion after Josh Mann-Rea suffered a season-ending injury, leaving 18-gamer Abel as the most experienced rake at the Brumbies.
Pocock trained freely on Tuesday with no strapping on his knee after having surgery in January, which delayed his Brumbies return.
"Whether David comes off the bench or starts ... he'll play if he's available. Poey is a world-class player so I've got a decision to make, but either way he provides energy and experience," McKellar said.
"Poey has been around the block. If anyone can start into a starting Super Rugby team after a period out, it's him.
"...[Pocock and Carter] are ticking boxes at training ... Carts isn't tracking too bad. It's positive at the moment, but we'll see how he pulls up."
McKellar is taking the reins in his first Brumbies-Waratahs rivalry match as both teams fight to get momentum and stake their claim for the Australian conference title.
The contest is traditionally brutal, with no love lost against 'big brother' NSW in the games between the teams since the start of Super Rugby in 1996.
Back then the Brumbies were the rejects and the Waratahs were a glamour side. But McKellar is trying to keep a lid on the emotion early in the week to ensure it doesn't boil over too early.
Part of that is largely sticking to the combinations that worked for the Brumbies when they beat the Durban Sharks two weeks ago.
McKellar swung the axe before that match, making six changes to his starting XV and nine in the wider game-day squad in a bid to find spark.
"I felt we had to make changes to fix things and I think the guys performed well and that allowed the team to perform better. So I won't be making six changes again," McKellar said.
"In terms of playing the Waratahs, I don't think we change too much. In the past it's been quite emotional, we've made a point of not going down that path too early."
SUPER RUGBY ROUND SEVEN
Saturday: ACT Brumbies v NSW Waratahs at Canberra Stadium, 7.45pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.
