Chiefs ring changes for Brumbies

The Chiefs have made six changes to the starting line-up and four to the bench for their match against the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday.

Mahonri Schwalger will start at hooker and will be joined in the forwards by Ross Filipo who gets his first start for the year.

Nick Crosswell and Sam Cane will be the starting flankers with Liam Messam moving to No 8 and Augustine Pulu at scrumhalf.

Tevita Koloamatangi comes onto the bench and is joined by Brad Weber and Dwayne Sweeney, who has re-joined the Chiefs after two years playing in Japan. James Lowe returns from a knee injury to take his place on the bench.

Meanwhile, Wallabies centre Christian Lealiifano will make his first start of the season after being named in the Brumbies team. Lealiifano makes a long-awaited return, having missed the first month of the season due to ankle surgery sustained on the Wallabies' end-of-year tour to Europe. He will start at inside centre at the expense of the in-form Pat McCabe, who has dropped to the bench.

The only other change to the starting XV is the return of lock Sam Carter to the second row after missing two matches with a knee injury.

Brumbies – 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Joe Tomane, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Christian Lealiifano, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Nic White, 8Ben Mowen (c), 7 Jarrad Butler, 6 Jordan Smiler, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Scott Fardy, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Scott Sio.
Subs: 16 Siliva Siliva, 17 Ruan Smith, 18 JP Smith, 19 Jack Whetton, 20 Tom McVerry, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Pat McCabe.

Chiefs – 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Tim Nanai-Williams, 13 Andrew Horrell, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Augustine Pulu, 8 Liam Messam (c), 7 Sam Cane, 6 Nick Crosswell, 5 Brodie Retallick, 4 Ross Filipo, 3 Ben Tameifuna, 2 Mahonri Schwalger, 1 Pauliasi Manu
Subs: 16 Nathan Harris, 17 Jamie Mackintosh, 18 Josh Hohneck, 19 Matt Symons, 20 Tevita Koloamatangi, 21 Brad Weber, 22 Dwayne Sweeney, 23 James Lowe.

Super Rugby teams (Round 11)

Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

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