The Melbourne Rebels’ challenging trip to play the Highlanders got a little easier with dynamic duo Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor returning from injury for their Super Rugby clash on Friday night.
Injury forced the Wallaby backs to miss the Rebels’ first win of the Super Rugby season, beating the Western Force 30-29 last Friday night in Melbourne.
However fullback Beale has been running at 100 per cent this week on his injured calf while O’Connor is over a hamstring twinge with coach Damien Hill delighted to bring their fresh legs into the line-up.
“They definitely bring that to the team but our reserves have done really well coming off the bench and really added something,” Hill said.
“Particularly in a high contact game against a team like the Highlanders you can’t underestimate fresh legs and our reserves will definitely get a run this week as well.”
Five-eighth Danny Cipriani, who injured his hamstring during the Force win, as well as utility back Richard Kingi and injured skipper Stirling Mortlock will miss as the Rebels search for their first ever successive victories.
As well as the long travel to New Zealand’s south island to Invercargill for the match, the Rebels are well aware they’ll have to deliver a full 80-minute performance to beat the Highlanders, who last round suffered their first loss 33-26 to the Brumbies after four wins to start the season.
“Their five matches have all been close wins and I thought the Brumbies showed a lot of ticker, particularly at the tackle contest and they were able to capitalise on the attacking opportunities that they made,” Hill said.
“Against a team like the Highlanders it’s always 80 minutes; they’re a team that loves to attack and hold on the ball for long period of time and whether that’s in the first or 80th minute that’s what they try to do.”
While O’Connor is set to take over the No.10 duties for the Rebels, the Highlanders are searching for a new playmaker after luckless All Blacks five-eighth Colin Slade badly broke his leg against the Brumbies.
His back-up Lima Sopoaga has also been ruled out for the season with a fractured shoulder leaving rookie Chris Noakes the most likely starter.
In-form flanker John Hardie is also out for the season, set to undergo surgery on his broken toe.
