Reds bolster backline

Anthony Fainga'a and Chris Feauai-Sautia will start for the Reds against the Brumbies this Friday.

Fainga'a replaces Mike Harris at No 12, who is battling an Achilles injury. Harris may yet feature in the game, and if he passes a late fitness test he will be included on the bench.

Feauai-Sautia will start on the wing, replacing rookie Jamie-Jerry Taulagi.

Another change to the squad sees Saia Fainga'a back on the bench as hooker cover. Fainga'a will earn his 100th cap if he plays in Brisbane. Flanker Curtis Browning is also among the substitutes.

Meanwhile, Tom Staniforth will make his Super Rugby debut at lock for the Brumbies on Friday. The 19-year-old Australian U20 representative has been training with the main squad since leaving Canberra Grammar in 2012.

Staniforth will be joined by Wallabies Stephen Moore and Scott Sio, who are back from injury and give the Brumbies an all-Wallabies front row. Staniforth comes into the side for Sam Carter, who has been ruled out through a knee injury.

Sio and Moore return to the front row for JP Smith and Siliva Siliva, who both move back to the bench for Ruaidhri Murphy and Josh Mann-Rea respectively in an otherwise unchanged team.

Reds – 15 Ben Lucas, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Anthony Fainga'a, 11 Chris Feauai-Sautia, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jake Schatz, 7 Beau Robinson, 6 Eddie Quirk, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Greg Holmes, 2 James Hanson, 1 James Slipper.
Subs: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 Albert Anae, 18 Jono Owen, 19 Ed O'Donoghue, 20 Curtis Browning, 21 Nick Frisby, 22 Mike Harris/Dave McDuling, 23 Jamie-Jerry Taulagi.

Brumbies – 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Joe Tomane, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Robbie Coleman, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Nic White, 8 Ben Mowen (c), 7 Jarrad Butler, 6 Jordan Smiler, 5 Tom Staniforth, 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 Lachlan McCaffrey, 21 Michael Dowsett, 22 Andrew Smith, 23 Christian Leali'ifano.

Photo: Joosep Martinson/Getty Images

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