Wallaby squad members Peter Kimlin and Scott Sio will lift an under-strength Brumbies for their tour match against the British and Irish Lions in Canberra on Tuesday.
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The duo were given permission to leave the Wallaby’s training camp for the clash, ahead of the first Test in Brisbane this coming Saturday.
No.8 Kimlin will skipper the Australian Super Rugby conference leaders, who will be without six other Wallaby squad members.
Ben Alexander, Ben Mowen, Stephen Moore, Pat McCabe, and Christian Lealiifano remain in the national side’s camp, while Joe Tomane is injured.
The Brumbies will also miss their regular scrumhalf Nic White, who is out with a shoulder injury.
Former South African-born Wallaby back Clyde Rathbone will play on the left wing, along with fringe Wallaby Jesse Mogg at fullback.
“This is a huge occasion for us as a team, but also individually,” coach Jake White said.
“The Lions are one of rugby’s last romantic sides, there is plenty of history there and we know that beating the Lions will go down in Canberra’s rugby folklore for many years to come,” added White who won the 2007 World Cup with the Springboks.
Canberra club star Chris Cocca will be on the bench.
An impressive season with Easts in Canberra’s John I Dent Cup has catapulted Cocca into the big time.
Starting from an eight-man bench, Cocca is joined by fellow debutant prop, Jean-Pierre Smith as two of four new inclusions to the team which pummelled the Rebels two weeks ago.
Smith’s identical twin brother, Ruan Smith, will start at loosehead prop.
Andrew Smith has also been included at inside-centre in his first match back since straining his hamstring against the Highlanders in Round Nine. He comes into the side for Pat McCabe who has been included in the Wallabies squad.
Mark Swanepoel comes onto the bench, with Ian Prior to start in place of Nic White who has a fractured scapular.
“It’s fantastic for Chris that he has this opportunity to face the Lions. I’m sure he is still pinching himself,” White said.
“He’s been in fantastic form for Easts and deserves this shot at the Lions. It’s a bit of a new situation for us, with an eight-man bench, but JP [Jean-Pierre Smith] has been training with us for a month now and he’s comfortable with the job ahead of him.
“I think it’s a good indication that the competition in Canberra is becoming stronger, that we can take the local players and play them against a quality outfit like the Lions.
“In the backs it’s comforting to be able to include a guy like Andrew Smith, who’s got plenty of experience. With Tevita [Kuridrani], they form a big centre pairing and it will be interesting to see how they combine.”
In 2001, minus the majority of their stars away with the Wallabies, the Brumbies went pain-stakingly close to knocking the Lions over at Canberra Stadium.
A late try to Austin Healey saved the Lions, who won 30-28, but it was a moment Brumbies supporters have not forgotten and will be hoping to go one better on Tuesday.
Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Andrew Smith, 11 Clyde Rathbone, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Peter Kimlin (Captain), 7 Colby Faingaa, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Leon Power, 3 Scott Sio, 2 Siliva Siliva, 1 Ruan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Jean-Pierre Smith, 18 Chris Cocca, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Jordan Smiler, 21 Mark Swanepoel, 22 Robbie Coleman, 23 Zack Holmes.
Date: Tuesday 18 June 2013
Venue: Canberra Stadium, Canberra
Kick-off: 11:30 SA Time (19:30 Canberra Time, 09:30 GMT, 10:30 BST)
Referee: TBC
Saw the name Ruan Smith and wondered if he and twin brother Jean-Pierre were from South Africa as well as the likes of Etienne Oosthuizen and Mark Swanepoel, a quick check of Brumbies site confirms the twins are indeed from South Africa – born in Vryburg (it lists Ruan on there anyway so assumed twin boet Jean-Pierre was also born in Vryburg
)The other two also born in South Africa, although Swanepoel has been in Australia since quite a young boy.
Interesting about Ruan Smith – he has played Australia and South Africa at school boy level, in consecutive years.
Brumbies also have South African born centre Stephan vd Walt on their books (been in Australia since he was quite young) and we all know about Clyde Rathbone.
@ Bullscot:
Interesting, thx. All the way from Vryburg, would you believe….Saffas making name in the global rugby world.
With Barritt and Stevens playing for the Lions there will be more Saffa’s than Scots.
5 @ Loosehead:
Eish no man there are 3 Scots in the squad to face the Brumbies Hogg, Grant starting and Gray on the bench, in total 4 Scots (including kilted ex-Kiwi Maitland) in Lions touring squad when I went to school 4 was more than 2
4 @ Pietman:
Yes seems like it Pietman, they must like going to Canberra from that part of the world I saw some of the other guys I mentioned born in Klerksdorp if I remember correctly. Don’t know why but for a moment I confused Vryburg with Vredenburg which in turn I had mixed with Velddrif that I had gone through on way to Paternoster a few months ago, must just be overtired
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