Irae Simone happy to change into Brumbies colours for Super restart

Simone will get first crack at the vacant inside centre position when the Brumbies play the NSW Waratahs in the last pre-season trial match on Thursday night.

Brumbies coach Dan McKellar is still weighing up his selection options for a round-one clash against the Melbourne Rebels at Canberra Stadium next week.

The No. 12 jersey is up for grabs, while back-row positions, wing spots and the front row will all hinge on performances in the warm-up match.

Simone is competing with Jordan Jackson-Hope and Tom Wright to be the inside centre, while McKellar could also opt for a Christian Lealiifano and Wharenui Hawera playmaker combination.

Simone left the Waratahs at the end of last season to take a chance in Canberra and he says friendships will go on hold to ignite a new beginning.

"I'm excited to play against some old friends. It will be a bit weird, but I'm excited to rip in and I can't look back. This is my new team and my new family," Simone said.

"I'm loving it so far. I'm seeing this as a fresh start for myself. It's a new team, a new bunch of boys and new friends.

"There's something brewing about this team and that's exciting. I'm going to take my opportunity [in the trial]. That's the whole reason I came down, to get the No. 12 jersey, so I'll keep working hard and aim for it."

The trial match will lack some Wallaby star power as both the Brumbies and the Waratahs adhere to the resting players collaboration with Rugby Australia.

The Brumbies will be without Allan Alaalatoa, Scott Sio and David Pocock and the Waratahs will be missing Michael Hooper, Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley and Israel Folau.

But both teams will have several key players making their returns. Tom Banks and Folau Faingaa will suit up for the Brumbies after making their Wallabies debut last year, while Pete Samu, Christian Lealiifano and Henry Speight will play their first games of the year.

Adam Ashley-Cooper is on the bench for the Waratahs alongside Ned Hanigan and Jake Gordon, while Karmichael Hunt will make his debut opposite Simone.

The Waratahs have recruited Hunt after he was ostracised by the Queensland Reds last year and his inclusions sets the stage for Simone to test himself against a former Wallaby.

Simone was Beale's understudy at the Waratahs and is ready to make his own mark in Canberra.

"I told [Beale and Foley] I was going to run straight at their channel before I left [Sydney]," Simone grinned.

"We're good mates off the field, but on the field it's a different story. If I do my job well, everything will take care of itself."

James Slipper will start at loosehead prop for the Brumbies and could secure the No. 1 jersey for round one given Sio will have no game time under his belt for the season starts.

Toni Pulu and Lausii Taliauli will be the starting wingers while Rob Valetini, Tom Cusack and Lachlan McCaffrey will form the back-row trio.

BRUMBIES PRE-SEASON

Thursday: Brumbies v NSW Waratahs at Goulburn, 6.30pm. Entry is free for Brumbies and Waratahs members.

Brumbies: 1. James Slipper, 2. Folau Fainga’a, 3. Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Sam Carter, 6. Robbie Valetini, 7. Tom Cusack, 8. Lachlan McCaffrey, 9. Joe Powell, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 11. Lausii Taliauli, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 14. Toni Pulu, 15. Tom Banks. Reserves: 16. Josh Mann-Rea, 17. Tom Ross, 18. Vunipola Fifita, 19. Blake Enever, 20. Jahrome Brown, 21. Matt Lucas, 22. Wharenui Hawera, 23. Chance Peni, 5. Darcy Swain, 6. Murray Douglas, 8. Pete Samu, 11. Andy Muirhead, 12. Tom Wright, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Henry Speight, 15. Jordan Jackson-Hope, 18. Bayley Kuenzle.

Waratahs: 1. Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2. Andrew Tuala, 3. Shambeckler Vui, 4. Jed Holloway, 5. Ryan McCauley, 6. Lachlan Swinton, 7. Will Miller (c), 8. Jack Dempsey, 9. Mitch Short, 10. Mack Mason, 11. Cameron Clark, 12. Karmichael Hunt, 13. Lalakai Foketi. 14. Curtis Rona, 15. Alex Newsome. Reserves: 16. JP Sauni, 17. Rory O’Connor, 18. Chris Talakai, 19. Le Roux Roets, 20. Ned Hanigan, 21. Pat Tafa, 22. Jake Gordon, 23. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 24. Will Harrison, 25. Richard Woolf, 26. Will Harris, 27. Cody Walker, 28. Hugh Sinclair, 29. Ben Donaldson.