The ACT Brumbies have received a massive boost for Friday's semi-final against the Blues with Wallabies prop James Slipper cleared to return from a calf strain.
Slipper has missed the past fortnight after picking up the knock during the penultimate game of the regular season against the Melbourne Rebels.
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Subsequently, the Brumbies' scrum has struggled since, giving away several penalties during the first half of last week's win over the Highlanders.
The 35-year-old comes straight back into the starting side, joining Billy Pollard and captain Allan Alaalatoa in the front-row.
“Slips has been training well so he went through a rehab program and got through everything and trained really well last weekend," coach Stephen Larkham said.
“He’s keen to get out and we’re obviously happy that he’s out there. One of our most experienced players and you need experienced in finals footy.
“He certainly gives confidence to the other front rowers and understands the pressures and challenges that come in the scrum. I think he has the ability to fix those challenges for the front-row on the run which we’re going to have to do this week.”
Larkham has named a 6-2 split on his reserves bench, with Jahrome Brown reverting back to the bench in his 50th game for Rory Scott.
“The majority of their game comes through their forwards (with) a big forward pack, one of the biggest forward packs in the competition, if not the biggest," he said.
“(They’re) pretty dominant with their maul and scrum as well as their ball carries and we want to give our guys an opportunity to empty their tanks and then have other guys coming in for the back end of the game.
“…We’ve picked a team to combat the forward power the Blues have but we’ve also picked guys on the reserves that we think can add a lot of impact in the game.”
BRUMBIES (1-15): James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Darcy Swain, Tom Hooper, Rob Valetini, Rory Scott, Charlie Cale, Ryan Lonergan, Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole, Tamati Tua, Len Ikitau, Andy Muirhead, Tom Wright
RESERVES: Liam Bowron, Rhys van Nek, Sosefo Kautai, Nick Frost, Jahrome Brown, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Ollie Sapsford
