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Berry’s Will Miller has been retained in the Melbourne Rebels team for this weekend’s clash with the Kings at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Despite starring in his Super Rugby debut in the Rebels’ 9-all draw with the Sharks in Durban, Miller has moved to the bench with the return of Colby Fainga’a as flanker, who remained in Melbourne last week for the birth of his daughter.
The Rebels have regained valuable experience with four changes to the team for Saturday’s game, welcoming back Fainga’a, and Marika Koroibete to the starting line-up.
The winger was a late withdrawal from the Sharks game through injury.
Fainga’a inclusion is the only chance to the forwards with Rebels team coach Tony McGahan opting for the same combination of Fereti Sa’aga, Siliva Siliva and Tyrel Lomax in the front row for the second consecutive week.
After he made his first start of the season on the wing against the Sharks last week, Ben Volavola will partner Nic Stirzaker in the halves for the first time after the 26-year-old was named at fly-half with the return of Koroibete to the wing.
The reserves also received a boost with Wallaby Toby Smith set to make his first appearance of the 2017 Vodafone Super Rugby season after a hamstring injury sidelined the prop since the team’s final pre-season game against the Reds.
Along with Smith, Welsh international Dominic Day will come off the bench in his return from a back injury which kept the lock out of last week’s game against the Sharks.
Smith and Day, along with James Hanson and Laurie Weeks, will provide McGahan with plenty of international experience off the bench.
“It’s the first time in a while that we’ve been able to get some quality and experienced players back,” McGahan said.
“The bench had a big part to play last week against the Sharks and they’ll have another big game to play this week.”
The Rebels will play in Port Elizabeth for the first time in the club’s history after the Kings claimed a three-point win in the only previous meeting at AAMI Park in Melbourne in Round 9, 2013.
The Rebels have claimed six points in the last two weeks after they claimed their first win of the season against the Brumbies in Melbourne before a penalty after fulltime against the Sharks in Durban secured the club’s first ever draw.
The clash with the Kings at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth is at 7.30pm (Sunday 3.30am AEST).
Melbourne Rebels team for round 10 v Kings:
1. Fereti Sa’aga
2. Siliva Siliva
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. Culum Retallick
5. Steve Cummins
6. Jake Schatz
7. Colby Fainga'a
8. Amanaki Mafi
9. Nic Stirzaker (Captain)
10. Ben Volavola
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Mitch Inman
13. Tom English
14. Sefa Naivalu
15. Reece Hodge
Reserves
16. James Hanson
17. Toby Smith
18. Laurie Weeks
19. Dominic Day
20. Will Miller
21. Hugh Sinclair
22. Mick Snowden
23. Jackson Garden-Bachop