Reds v Brumbies: Teams

The Brumbies have revamped their back-line ahead of Saturday's must-win Super 14 derby clash against the Reds in Brisbane.

Fly-half Matt Toomua is the only player from Brumbies' last round loss to the Hurricanes to retain the same position with Gene Fairbanks and Mark Gerrard returning from injury.

After missing two matches due to a hamstring strain, Gerrard resumes his role at full-back while Fairbanks (groin) returns from a one-match lay-off to reunite with outside centre Tyrone Smith in the Brumbies' midfield.

Stirling Mortlock and Adam Ashley-Cooper shift from outside centre and full-back respectively to each take up a position on the wing, while Patrick Phibbs earns his fourth run-on start of the season at scrum-half, replacing Joshua Holmes, who will start off the bench.

Intensity

The Brumbies' forward pack remains unchanged with George Smith continuing his impressive run of 60 consecutive matches and further consolidating his second placing on the Brumbies' most capped list with 117 matches, one ahead of Stephen Larkham (116 caps) and 19 adrift of George Gregan (136).

While the Brumbies still have Mark Chisholm (wrist), Christian Lealiifano (hamstring), Clyde Rathbone (quadricep), Julian Salvi (ankle) and Guy Shepherdson (suspension) sidelined, Sitaleki Timani has been selected after recovering from a knee injury suffered against the Bulls a fortnight ago.

Timani has been named on the Brumbies' bench along with Holmes and Francis Fainifo, who both join the reserves list from last week's starting XV.

Reds coach Phil Mooney will once again look to his leadership group to ensure his squad enters the game with the same intensity and desire they showed during their 31-24 win over the Blues last week.

"The senior group in particular took control of last week and set a great example and demanded better standards from other guys within the group. The result we got wasn't an accident," he said.

"This week is an opportunity to put together another good performance. Training thus far has been good and everyone is still very focused."

Consistent

Reds flanker Poutasi Luafutu has been retained and will be looking to back up an excellent performance against the Blues last weekend and be an integral part of a Reds' effort to contain Brumbies' kingpin George Smith.

A win would give the Reds only their second victory over the Brumbies after a Ballymore win in 1999, but Mooney said the past is the past and the preference was to look forward rather than back.

"We've ticked a couple (of hoodoos) off already this year - we've beaten a top four team and we've won away from home - so we now want to be consistent for the rest of the year... and it starts this week.

"This week we're focusing on getting our game right again. Obviously we did it very well last week, but there are elements of our game that we need to be better in and we're certainly working hard this week.

The Reds welcome back winger Peter Hynes from a knee injury, with Luke Morahan displaced from the squad with a dislocated shoulder, requiring a reconstruction operation.

Reds: 15 Mark McLinden, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Digby Ioane, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Brando Va'aulu, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ezra Taylor, 7 Poutasi Luafutu, 6 Hugh McMeniman, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Van Humphries, 3 Laurie Weeks, 2 Sean Hardman, 1 Greg Holmes.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Jack Kennedy, 18 Adam Byrnes, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Ben Lucas, 21 Charlie Fetoai, 22 Anthony Faingaa.

Brumbies: 15 Mark Gerrard, 14 Stirling Mortlock, 13 Tyrone Smith, 12 Gene Fairbanks, 11 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Patrick Phibbs, 8 Stephen Hoiles (c), 7 George Smith, 6 Mitchell Chapman, 5 Peter Kimlin, 4 Ben Hand, 3 Salesi Ma'afu, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 Nic Henderson, 18 Sitaleki Timani, 19 Henry Vanderglas, 20 Joshua Holmes, 21 Afusipa Taumoepeau, 22 Francis Fainifo.