Christian Lealiifano 'rested' from Brumbies' crucial Jaguares test
Christian Lealiifano will miss his first game since recovering from leukaemia as part of the ACT Brumbies' plan to manage his workload this year.
Lealiifano has been "rested" from the Brumbies' clash against the Argentina Jaguares at Canberra Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with Kyle Godwin to replace him at inside centre.
The Brumbies have been wary of over working Lealiifano in his first full season since being diagnosed with leukaemia at the end of 2016.
He has played seven games this season, but has completed a full 80 minutes just three times. Coach Dan McKellar has rotated him out of the game-day squad and called on Godwin to add spark to the back line.
He's one of three changes to the back line, with scrumhalf Joe Powell being recalled and Henry Speight to make his comeback from a knee injury to play his 100th Super Rugby game.
David Pocock has been cleared of a calf injury and will continue his Australian rugby resurgence, while skipper Sam Carter is back in the starting side for the first time in five weeks.
Rookie lock Darcy Swain will make his debut from the bench in a major reserves reshuffle. Mees Erasmus and Nic Mayhew will be the back-up props, while Jordan Jackson-Hope gets his first chance of the year.
Swain has been called on to the bench at the expense of Blake Enever and Richie Arnold, with the former Australian under-20s representative to get his first opportunity to play Super Rugby.
The Brumbies have won three of their seven games so far and need to beat the Jaguares to stay in touch with the Australian conference leaders.
The club hasn't won back to back games at home since 2016, but can end the inconsistent run if they beat the Jaguares.
"We have to be more clinical ... it's a mix of forced and unforced errors at the moment," said forwards coach Laurie Fisher said.
"We probably don't consistently work hard enough across the board to have the threats across the field the way we want.
"We just let ourselves down by mixing some very good with some not very good. Everyone will make mistakes, but we need to get the unforced errors out of the game, make less of them at important times.
SUPER RUGBY ROUND 10
Sunday: ACT Brumbies v Argentina Jaguares at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm. Tickets from Ticketek.
Brumbies: 15. Tom Banks, 14. Henry Speight, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 12. Kyle Godwin, 11. Chance Peni, 10. Wharenui Hawera, 9. Joe Powell, 8. Isi Naisarani, 7. David Pocock, 6. Tom Cusack, 5. Sam Carter, 4. Rory Arnold, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Folau Faingaa, 1. Scott Sio. Reserves: 16. Robbie Abel, 17. Mees Erasmus, 18. Nic Mayhew, 19. Darcy Swain, 20. Michael Oakman-Hunt, 21. Matt Lucas, 22. Jordan Jackson-Hope, 23. Andrew Smith.