Tom Wright has been backed to rise to the challenge as the ACT Brumbies' fullback depth takes a major blow with Jesse Mogg set to spend at least six weeks on the sidelines.
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Wright will line up at fullback with a posterior cruciate ligament tear ruling Mogg out of the Brumbies' Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Fijian Drua in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Mogg is facing a lengthy stint on the sidelines which could keep him out of action until at least round 14 in a major blow for a Brumbies side already missing regular fullback Tom Banks for the best part of a month.
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Scrumhalf Nic White will take the captaincy reins for a new-look Brumbies outfit against the Drua in what coach Dan McKellar forecasts could be the final opportunity for wholesale squad rotations this season.
It means Saturday looms as the final chance for a number of players to prove they are in McKellar's best 23 before trans-Tasman football kicks off after the bye week which follows the Drua game.
"Wrighty at 15, he had to play a fair chunk of the game there last week. He'll be excited to get an opportunity at 15," McKellar said.
"We'll think of [Mogg] long-term there and do the right thing, and take it slowly. He'll be out for at least six weeks.
"Where he injured it was a really contestable kick [against the Queensland Reds last week], he was brave in the air and won the ball back but unfortunately all of his weight went through his knee and he has developed an injury off the back of it."
Skipper Allan Alaalatoa is out due to neck soreness, opening the door for Sefo Kautai to start at tighthead prop with Tom Ross coming off the bench.
Emerging prospect Billy Pollard starts at hooker with Connal McInerney the reserve, while Tom Hooper starts at lock with Nick Frost shuffling back to the bench.
Ed Kennedy and Luke Reimer will be the starting flankers with Jahrome Brown and Pete Samu given a spell.
The backline is more settled, with Wright's shift to fullback bringing Cam Clark onto the wing and Ollie Sapsford onto the pine. White returns to the starting XV with Rod Iona to wear the No. 10 jersey again.
The Brumbies are banking on the return of flyhalf Noah Lolesio [ankle] and lock Cadeyrn Neville [shoulder] following the bye, at which point they begin a run of six trans-Tasman clashes.
A win over the Drua would leave the Brumbies with a 7-1 record before facing New Zealand-based franchises, but McKellar says taking the Fijians lightly this week would be doing so at the Brumbies' own peril.
The Drua's average mark of 464 metres per game is second most of any team in the competition behind the Waikato Chiefs, 110 clear of the Brumbies' 354 per game.
The nomadic Fijian side has made more tackle breaks than any other team with 26 and three of their past five games have been decided by five points or less - enough to suggest a repeat of the Brumbies' 42-3 win in round two is no fait accompli.
"They've trained well and they deserve an opportunity so it was a natural decision and it goes in line with what we've been doing for the best part of the season," McKellar said of the rotation.
"Rotation probably won't just continue all the way throughout the season once we get through the bye week, it's a chance this week to get some minutes into the boys.
"Ed Kennedy and Luke Reimer in the back-row, it's good to see those boys. They've trained really hard since September last year to get their opportunity and chance which is good. Billy Pollard has been good off the bench so I'm pleased to see him get a start.
"Sefo was really good against the Force so he gets another start and Tommy will come off the bench. Al was just a little bit sore through his neck so again, thinking long-term."
SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC ROUND EIGHT
Saturday: Fijian Drua v ACT Brumbies at Lang Park, 7.45pm. Broadcast live on Stan Sport.
Brumbies squad: 1. James Slipper, 2. Billy Pollard, 3. Sefo Kautai, 4. Darcy Swain, 5. Tom Hooper, 6. Ed Kennedy, 7. Luke Reimer, 8. Rob Valetini, 9. Nic White (c), 10. Rod Iona, 11. Andy Muirhead, 12. Irae Simone, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Cam Clark, 15. Tom Wright. Reserves: 16. Connal McInerney, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Tom Ross, 19. Nick Frost, 20. Rory Scott, 21. Ryan Lonergan, 22. Hudson Creighton, 23. Ollie Sapsford.
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Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
