Wallabies star James O’Connor will have his work cut out when he returns at playmaker for the Melbourne Rebels when they play the Highlanders in their Super Rugby fortress of Invercargill on Friday night.
O’Connor (hamstring) was named on Wednesday to come back in place of injured Englishman Danny Cipriani at five-eighth for the daunting assignment in the bottom of New Zealand’s South Island.
Cipriani suffered a hamstring injury of his own while playing a starring role as the Rebels notched their first win of the season by 30-29 over the Western Force last Saturday.
O’Connor joins Wallabies fullback Kurtley Beale (calf) in returning to the team to play behind an unchanged forward pack.
Unheralded pairing Lachlan Mitchell and Lloyd Johansson get another chance to develop their centre partnership after impressing against the Force.
One of the form teams in 2012, the Highlanders have delighted home fans with their all-out attacking game playing in their new closed-roof stadium in Dunedin, instead of the old “House of Pain”, Carisbrook.
But the Rebels won’t enjoy the luxury of those firm, dry and windless conditions – far from it.
They have to play at Rugby Park in Invercargill where visiting teams typically strike the cold, wet and muddy conditions which Highlanders skipper Jamie Mackintosh is hoping for.
Rebels coach Damien Hill said his team was up for the challenge.
“They (the Highlanders) are four from five this year and playing really good football, but the team’s very confident,” said Hill.
“It’s a hard place to play, but we’re all looking forward to it.”
Melbourne Rebels: Kurtley Beale, Mark Gerrard, Lachlan Mitchell, Lloyd Johansson, Cooper Vuna, James O’Connor, Nick Phipps, Gareth Delve (capt), Tom Chamberlain, Jarrod Saffy, Hugh Pyle, Luke Jones, Laurie Weeks, Adam Freier, Nic Henderson. Res: Ged Robinson, Rodney Blake, Alister Campbell, Michael Lipman, Nic Stirzaker, James Hilgendorf, Julian Huxley.
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