Wednesday 22 March 2017 16:29, UK
Wallabies fly-half Bernard Foley will return to Super Rugby action for the Waratahs on Friday after missing the start of the season because of concussion.
The 27-year-old was named in the No 10 shirt for their trip to Melbourne to face the Rebels as the Waratahs attempt to get their season back on track.
Foley will be expected to fire up a backline which has seriously underperformed. The 2014 champions have lost three of their opening four fixtures.
"We need to get our combinations clicking," said coach Daryl Gibson. "Up until now we have been far too inconsistent and the mistakes have been on us to fix.
"We are pleased to have Bernard back, his absence has certainly been felt in those first four rounds."
Youngster Jake Gordon will be Foley's half-back partner in Melbourne after the 23-year-old was preferred to Wallaby Nick Phipps, who has had a disappointing start to the season.
Gibson has also brought an end to the experiment of playing Israel Folau at centre, where he was largely anonymous in the loss to the Brumbies last week, and restored the team's main attacking weapon to the full-back position.
Test back Rob Horne moves into the midfield along with David Horwitz with talented young gun Andrew Kellaway moving from full-back to the left wing to make way for Folau.
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Reece Robinson, 13 Rob Horne, 12 David Horwitz, 11 Andrew Kellaway, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Jake Gordon; 1 Tom Robertson, 2 Tolu Latu, 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Dean Mumm, 5 Will Skelton, 6 Ned Hanigan, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 8 Jed Holloway.
Replacements: 16 Damien Fitzpatrick, 17 Paddy Ryan, 18 David Lolohea, 19 David McDuling, 20 Michael Wells, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Cam Clark, 23 Taqele Naiyaravoro.
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