ACT Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham says it just "feels right" to shake up his line-up, adamant the biggest rotation of the season can trigger a form turnaround.
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Larkham is putting faith in new faces to lift the Brumbies out of their lull and back up the Australian Super Rugby ladder when they play the Otago Highlanders in Invercargill on Saturday night.
Captain Stephen Moore has failed to recover from a calf injury and Joseph Tomane is out with a knee problem, but they are just the tip of the mass changes.
The whole front row has been rotated out, with Moore and Ben Alexander not playing as their workloads are managed and Scott Sio shifted to the bench.
That means Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Mann-Rea and Ruan Smith get their chance to impress, with Smith playing his first game of the season.
Nigel Ah Wong is stepping up to replace Tomane on the wing, while lock Tom Staniforth will start his first match in more than two years and superstar David Pocock is back from suspension.
The six changes are the most Larkham has made this season after rotating just 20 players through his starting XV in the first eight games of the year.
Larkham insisted the changes were not form related following a 40-14 thumping at the hands of the Canterbury Crusaders last weekend.
But the loss of four Wallabies – Moore, Alexander, Sio and Tomane – leaves a giant hole in the Brumbies roster as it aims to end its struggles.
"It was the timing of it, we sort of targeted this game as an opportunity for guys to swap. It just felt right for the team to get a bit of an injection from these guys who have been playing extremely well from the bench," Larkham said.
"It was more about this block of five games, this is the middle of a run for us so it just feels right with where the team is at the moment. It's the right time to give guys a chance.
"The standard won't slip, we've been trying to get some more game time for guys on the bench and some of the opportunity has come about through injury but it is deserved."
Larkham has also opted to pick six forwards and two backs on the bench instead of the traditional split of four forwards and three backs.
Blake Enever is making his comeback from a shoulder problem, while Rory Arnold drops to the bench to make way for Staniforth in the starting XV.
Staniforth hasn't started in a Super Rugby match since he made his debut against the Queensland Reds more than two years ago.
Front-rower Smith hasn't started since playing the Highlanders 12 months ago.
Alexander and Moore are expected to return to their regular roles next weekend.
Ah Wong said it was up to the reinforcements to prove there would be no drop in standards.
"It's a big opportunity. In my situation it's unfortunate for Joe to have that injury and I feel for him," Ah Wong said.
"But I've got to take the chance and I've got every confidence in myself to do the job.
"There are a lot of changes, but we've been together as a group and this is a chance for the guys who have played a lot of game time to rotate out and for the other guys to be injected in.
"Missing four Wallabies and experienced players is a blow, but our squad has a very good amount of depth and confidence that anyone can step up."
SUPER RUGBY ROUND 10
Saturday: Otago Highlanders v ACT Brumbies at Invercargill, New Zealand, 5.30pm (AEST). TV time: Live on Fox Sports 2.
Brumbies team: 15. Aidan Toua, 14. Robbie Coleman, 13. Tevita Kuridrani, 12. Matt Toomua, 11. Nigel Ah Wong, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 8. Jarrad Butler, 7. David Pocock, 6. Scott Fardy, 5. Sam Carter, 4. Tom Staniforth, 3. Ruan Smith, 2. Josh Mann-Rea, 1. Allan Alaalatoa. Reserves: 16. Robbie Abel, 17. Scott Sio, 18. Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, 19. Rory Arnold, 20. Blake Enever, 21. Jordan Smiler, 22. Joe Powell, 23. James Dargaville.
