Tamati Ellison will make his debut for the Rebels against the Cheetahs in Melbourne on Friday.

Alongside the All Blacks centre, other debutants in the line-up include two-time Super Rugby winner and former Chiefs prop Toby Smith, while former Waratah Tom Kingston, former Crusader Steve Fuala and former Brumby Colby Fainga'a are named on the bench.

Rebels – 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Lachlan Mitchell, 13 Tamati Ellison, 12 Mitch Inman, 11 Tom English, 10 Bryce Hegarty, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Scott Higginbotham (c) 7 Scott Fuglistaller, 6 Sean McMahon, 5 Luke Jones, 4 Hugh Pyle, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Pat Leafa, 1 Toby Smith.
Subs: 16 Steve Fualau, 17 Max Lahiff, 18 Paul Alo-Emile, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Colby Fainga'a, 21 Ben Meehan, 22 Angus Roberts, 23 Tom Kingston.

Photo: Scott Barbour/Getty Images