Smith returns to Brumbies starting XV

Editor

Andrew Smith will start at inside centre for the Brumbies in Friday's clash with the Hurricanes in Wellington.

Andrew Smith will start at inside centre for the Brumbies in Friday's clash with the Hurricanes in Wellington.

Smith, who last played at 12 for the Canberra-based franchise in a tour match against Wales in 2012, replaces Wallaby midfielder Pat McCabe who will start on the replacements bench.

In other changes, Jarrad Butler shifts from number eight to openside flanker as a replacement for the injured David Pocock, while captain Ben Mowen moves to number eight and Scott Fardy from lock to blindside flanker.

Fardy's switch means Leon Power will partner Sam Carter in the second row in his first start since the Brumbies clash against the Rebels in Canberra last year.

Jordan Smiler, JP Smith and Josh Mann-Rea come onto the bench for Power, Ruaidhri Murphy and Siliva Siliva. Aside from McCabe the replacement list of Ruan Smith, Lachlan McCaffrey, Conrad Hoffmann and Lionel Cronje remains the same as last week's match in Perth.

Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Andrew Smith, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen (c), 7 Jarrad Butler, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Leon Power, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Ruan Smith, 18 JP Smith, 19 Jordan Smiler, 20 Lachlan McCaffrey, 21 Conrad Hoffmann, 22 Pat McCabe, 23 Lionel Cronje.

Date: Friday, March 7
Kick-off: 19:35 local (06:35 GMT)
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)