Everything you need to know about the Brumbies vs Lions

The Lions are set to take the field against the Brumbies at the GIO Stadium in Canberra on Saturday.

It is said to be a hugely important clash for both teams as the Super Rugby competition reaches Round 9.

Brumbies team and injury news

The Brumbies welcome back a trio of Wallabies to their starting XV for Saturday’s match.

Prop Scott Sio, hooker Folau Fainga’a and lock Rory Arnold all return to the starting team.

Lock Sam Carter and centre Tom Wright are the other changes to the starting team aiming to re-ignite their season with a third successive win at GIO Stadium, having claimed victories over the Waratahs and Chiefs in their last two home matches. 

Head Coach Dan McKellar also has an all-Wallaby front-five with Sio, Fainga’a and Allan Alaalatoa starting in the front row, locked by Carter and Arnold.

Fellow international Pete Samu is at flanker, alongside Tom Cusack and the reliable Lachlan McCaffrey. 

Tom Wright returns to the starting XV to partner with Tevita Kuridrani in the centre.

Brumbies: 15 Tom Banks, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Tom Wright, 11 Toni Pulu, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Lachlan McCaffrey, 7 Tom Cusack, 6 Pete Samu, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio 

Substitutes: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 James Slipper, 18 Leslie Leulua’iali’i-Makin, 19 Darcy Swain, 20 Jahrome Brown, 21 Matt Lucas, 22 Irae Simone, 23 Andy Muirhead

Lions team and injury news

Lionel Mapoe is celebrating 100 Super Rugby caps this weekend when the Lions take the field against the Brumbies.

Mapoe has 116 Super Rugby caps in total, having played for two other franchises in his career (Free State & Bulls), and has scored a total of 32 Super Rugby tries.

Malcolm Marx will lead a very experienced side on the field with seven players boasting 60 Super Rugby caps and more in the starting XV. The most experienced player in the side is Elton Jantjies who has racked up an impressive 126 Super Rugby caps since joining the franchise in 2011.

Other news includes the clearance of Warren Whiteley who has been cleared to fly to Australasia to join his team-mates. While he will miss the match against the Brumbies, he should be ready to join his squad for the match against the Chiefs and Crusaders later on.

@WarrenWhiteley was cleared on Friday morning by the medical team, and will join the @emirates Lions on their Australasia tour this weekend.#LionsPride pic.twitter.com/4k8jBGttah

— Emirates Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) April 12, 2019

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Franco Naude, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi,  10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Stephan Lewies, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Rhyno Herbst, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Nathan McBeth

Substitutes: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Gianni Lombard, 23 Sylvian Mahuza

Kick off time

Saturday, 13 April at 11:45 (SAST).

TV & Live Stream

The game will be broadcast live on SuperSport 1 (SS1).