Former Australian halfback Luke Burgess is set to make his debut for the Melbourne Rebels earlier than expected in Friday night’s Super Rugby derby against the Brumbies.

Burgess, who played 37 Tests for the Wallabies before spending the last two years playing club rugby in France for Toulouse, had planned to join the Rebels in 2014.

But with Melbourne scrum-half Nick Phipps added to the Australian squad on Sunday for the upcoming series against the British and Irish Lions, and utility back Richard Kingi injured, the Rebels sent out an SOS to Burgess.