The return to the Starting XV of Victorians Josh Canham and Jordan Uelese highlights the Rebels’ Round 12 team to take on the Waratahs for the Weary Dunlop Shield on Saturday night.
Rebels Head Coach Kevin Foote has made two other changes to his Starting XV, with the suspended Josh Kemeny being replaced at Flanker by Vaiolini Ekuasi and David Feliuai moving into the No.12 jersey replacing Stacey Ili.
The towering 22-year-old Canham, who recently re-signed with the Club until 2025, returns to the second row alongside Trevor Hosea, creating a formidable all-Victorian pairing.
Uelese, having been named to Eddie Jones’ Wallabies squad earlier in the year, will make his debut in the Starting XV after having come off the bench in the previous eight games of his Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific season.
The explosive Ekuasi, who starts for the sixth time this season, is joined in the backrow by captain Brad Wilkin and fan favourite Richard Hardwick, with the latter making a welcome return from injury last week playing all 80 minutes against the Brumbies.
The back three remains unchanged, including Reece Hodge, who will this week play his 97th Super Rugby game for the Rebels, making him the equal most-capped Rebel in the Club’s history alongside Tom English.
Alex Mafi and Stacey Ili move to the bench, which also features Tamati Ioane, who will make his third appearance for the Rebels in 2023.
Melbourne Rebels Match Day 23 vs NSW Waratahs
1. Matt Gibbon
2. Jordan Uelese
3. Sam Talakai
4. Josh Canham
5. Trevor Hosea
6. Vaiolini Ekuasi
7. Brad Wilkin (C)
8. Richard Hardwick
9. Ryan Louwrens
10. Carter Gordon
11. Monty Ioane
12. David Feliuai
13. Reece Hodge (VC)
14. Lachie Anderson
15. Andrew Kellaway
16. Alex Mafi
17. Cabous Eloff
18. Pone Fa’amausili
19. Tim Cardall
20. Tamati Ioane
21. James Tuttle
22. Stacey Ili
23. Joe Pincus
