Pat McCutcheon has been promoted to captain a vastly understrength NSW Waratahs team in their Super Rugby clash with the Western Force on Sunday.
McCutcheon takes over as skipper from Dave Dennis, one of 10 players made unavailable because they are in the Wallabies squad preparing to play the touring British and Irish Lions.
A further six players including Wallabies Tatafu Polota-Nau and Sitileki Timani were ruled out by injury.
The mass absences open the door for lock Ollie Atkins to make his Waratahs debut and three other forwards, Will Skelton, Lopeti Timani and Jed Holloway, to make their first starts of the season.
They also forced coach Michael Cheika to hand NSW debuts to five up-and-coming club players: Parramatta lock Adam Coleman, Northern Districts flanker AJ Gilbert, Randwick duo Richard Aho (prop) and Terrence Hepetema (outside back) and Sydney University prop Sam Talakai.
All five are named on an extended bench, with the final match-day 22 to be confirmed later in the week.
McCutcheon will become the 164th player to captain NSW when he leads the team out on Sunday in Perth. He will be assisted by vice-captains Jeremy Tilse and Bernard Foley.
NSW: Jeremy Tilse, John Ulugia, Paddy Ryan, Will Skelton, Ollie Atkins, Lopeti Timani, Pat McCutcheon (capt), Jed Holloway, Brendan McKibbin, Bernard Foley, Cam Crawford, Tom Carter, Tom Kingston, Peter Betham, Drew Mitchell.
Res (from): Sam Talakai, Luke Holmes, Damien Fitzpatrick, Richard Aho, Adam Coleman, AJ Gilbert, Matt Lucas, Grayson Hart, Terrence Hepetema, Ben Volavola.
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