Irae Simone has a warning for anyone who thinks an ACT Brumbies internal trial will be a glorified training session, because "it only takes one to put on a big shot and then you'll know it's going to be full on".
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The Brumbies have shifted from Bowral to Berry for a pre-season camp in the wake of their first trial defeat to the NSW Waratahs this past weekend.
Dan McKellar's squad will return to Canberra with one more hit out to put their hand up for selection in round one with the club to host an intra-club game at Brumbies headquarters this week.
Brumbies inside centre Simone says the trial will be a golden opportunity for the club's returning Wallabies to regain their touch while opening the door for a potential round one bolter.
The likes of captain Allan Alaalatoa, Folau Fainga'a, James Slipper, Nic White and Tom Wright are likely to enter the fray after sitting out of the Brumbies' outing against the Waratahs.
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"Anything could happen with internals," Simone said.
"Boys are pretty excited. We'll have the Wallabies boys back. It only takes one to put on a big shot and then you'll know it's going to be full on. The boys are looking forward to it, it's our last hit out before round one so it's exciting.
"It's a good opportunity for a lot of young players coming through to get a taste of what Super is like and also try to put their best foot forward."
McKellar will be able to pick two near-full-strength teams minus Rob Valetini, who will serve the second game of a two-match suspension, while question marks hover over the fitness of Samoan Test playmaker Rod Iona after he injured his calf during the game against the Waratahs.
It will be his last chance to get a look at his squad in a match simulation before they launch their Super Rugby Pacific campaign against the Western Force. The round one game is scheduled for February 19 in Perth, but is likely to be shifted due to the Western Australian government's border restrictions.
But just how McKellar splits the two teams remains to be seen, weighing up a possibles versus probables line-up or an even spread of starters and fringe players across both sides.
"I've had some thoughts about what I'll do there but nothing is locked in there. There's two ways you can go. You could go a side that might look like what we have in round one or mix it up, so we'll see," McKellar said.
"Everyone that's available will play some game time, again it's just another hit out. It's always challenging when you're playing against each other, but we'll pick two teams and it's a proper game.
"It'll be good to get some minutes into the boys who haven't played in a while. You look at Cadeyrn Neville, that was his first game since May 8, crazy.
"There's a lot of players like that who haven't played in a long, long time. It's just about blowing out the cobwebs at this time of year."
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