Rookie five-eighth Sam Lane has been thrust into the struggling Queensland Reds’ playmaking hot seat for his Super Rugby debut against the Brumbies on Good Friday.

Signed by the defending champions on a short-term contract last week due to their backline injury crisis, Lane becomes the Reds’ fifth-choice flyhalf this season after being chosen to start ahead of Dallan Murphy at Suncorp Stadium.

The 21-year-old son of former Wallabies centre Tim Lane was a boom prospect in South Africa, where he finished his schooling in Cape Town, before returning to Sydney late last year to take a spot in Australia’s national academy.

Lane is one of four personnel changes Queensland coach Ewen McKenzie has made to the starting team which lost 45-19 to the Western Force last weekend in Perth.

Speedy outside back Aidan Toua will make his run-on debut at outside centre after overcoming a hamstring strain sustained in the pre-season while lock Rob Simmons and flanker Beau Robinson return to the starting pack.

McKenzie has opted for two ball scavengers in a mobile back-row with Robinson and Liam Gill to work in tandem against the Brumbies’ big loose-forward trio of Ben Mowen, Peter Kimlin and Ita Vaea.

With Scott Higginbotham moving to the back of the scrum, Radike Samo has again been overlooked at No.8 and will make his return off the bench as one of five Reds forwards.

McKenzie has also switched Luke Morahan back to fullback with Rod Davies to start on the wing.

The Brumbies, who arrived in Brisbane on Thursday morning, hold a five-point lead at the top of the Australian conference and can open up a sizeable gap on Queensland if they dish out the Reds fourth straight defeat.

Queensland Reds: Luke Morahan, Dom Shipperley, Aidan Toua, Ben Tapuai, Rod Davies, Sam Lane, Will Genia, Scott Higginbotham, Liam Gill, Beau Robinson, James Horwill (capt), Rob Simmons, James Slipper, James Hanson, Ben Daley. Res: Albert Anae, Greg Holmes, Radike Samo, Van Humphries, Ed Quirk, Nick Frisby, Dallan Murphy.