The long-awaited David Pocock v Michael Hooper battle is on, although it will have to wait until the Brumbies star is eased into the Super Rugby blockbuster from the bench.

The Brumbies will take to Allianz Stadium against the Waratahs this Sunday with an unchanged starting side for the fourth straight week.

Pocock is the only change made the Brumbies 23-man squad, and will take a place on the bench at the expense of Blake Enever.

Pocock has been out of action since injuring his ankle in round one against the Queensland Reds, where he impressed in his comeback from a second knee reconstruction with a man-of-the-match performance.

His return to the park this weekend will see him battle his successor in the Wallabies No.7 jersey, Hooper – their first clash since Pocock suffered his first ruptured ACL against the Waratahs in 2013.

Brumbies head coach Larkham earlier in the week hinted that Pocock would be eased back into Super Rugby from the pine when he praised the job current backrowers Ita Vaea, Jarrad Butler and Scott Fardy were doing in his absence.

“It is (a selection dilemma),” Larkham said.

“Certainly Poey adds that other element.

“A backrower who gets hard on the ball. It will be a slightly different look to our backrow when Poey gets on the field.

“But I look at the performances of our backrow, particularly on the weekend with Jarrad Butler, Ita Vaea and Scott Fardy all had fantastic games.

“Maybe not as hard on the ball as Poey but they contributed in other ways.”

Brumbies captain Stephen Moore said luxury of naming another unchanged side would help them against the Tahs.

“It certainly helps having consistency through the group week in, week out,” he said.

“Bringing David off the bench is exciting not only for him but for the rest of the boys, we all enjoy playing with him,” Moore said.

Brumbies (15-1): Robbie Coleman, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua, Nic White, Ita Vaea, Jarrad Butler, Scott Fardy, Sam Carter, Rory Arnold, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore (c), Scott Sio. Reserves: Josh Mann-Rea, JP Smith, Ruan Smith, Jordan Smiler, David Pocock, Michael Dowsett, James Dargaville, Lausii Taliauli.