Wallabies second-row Matt Philip will make his long-awaited return to action for the Melbourne Rebels when they face the Highlanders in Saturday’s Super Rugby Pacific clash in Dunedin.
Philip has been sidelined since last October with an ACL injury which he sustained while on duty with Australia.
Injured during Wallabies training
The 29-year-old sustained the injury during a training session shortly before the Wallabies were due to depart from Australia for their end-of-year tour to Europe.
His return to action is a major boost for the Rebels as he will provide the team with plenty of leadership, and he will also strengthen their lineout and ball-carrying capabilities.
Philip‘s return is one of four alterations to the Rebels’ run-on side after last weekend’s defeat to the Waratahs in Sydney.
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He comes in for Trevor Hosea in the second-row, while Reece Hodge shifts from outside centre to fly-half, where he replaces the injured Carter Gordon, with Lukas Ripley now starting at 13 alongside Stacey Ili, who takes over from David Feliuai at 12.
Speaking to the media earlier this week, wing Lachie Anderson said the Rebels are excited to take on the Highlanders in this crucial trans-Tasman encounter.
“We’ve reviewed hard and taken our learnings from last week, so there’s a real good feeling in the group, and we had a great training session on Tuesday, so we’re looking ahead to the Highlanders with excitement,” said Anderson.
“We’re playing a really great attacking style of rugby this year, and we’re really enjoying that.
“We’re just looking to the Highlanders this week, and we’re going there to win, and that’s what the group is excited about and focused on.”
Momentous match for Reece Hodge
It will be a momentous match for Hodge as he will become the Rebels’ most-capped player when he runs out to make his 98th Super Rugby appearance for the Melbourne-based outfit.
The 28-year-old has become a Rebels stalwart since making his debut against the Western Force in Perth in 2016.
Hodge has scored 547 points over eight-seasons with the Rebels and has made 62 Test appearances for the Wallabies.
The Rebels have won three of the last four Super Rugby matches between these teams and will be returning to Dunedin for the first time since 2020’s exciting 28-22 triumph over the Highlanders.
Melbourne Rebels: 15 Andrew Kellaway, 14 Lachlan Anderson, 13 Lukas Ripley, 12 Stacey Ili, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Reece Hodge, 9 Ryan Louwrens, 8 Richard Hardwick, 7 Brad Wilkin (c), 6 Vaiolini Ekuasi, 5 Matt Philip, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Sam Talakai, 2 Alex Mafi, 1 Matt Gibbon
Replacements: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Isaac Aedo Kailea, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Trevor Hosea, 20 Tamati Ioane, 21 James Tuttle, 22 Nick Jooste, 23 Joe Pincus
Date: Saturday, May 20
Venue: Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
Kick-off: 16:35 local (05:05 BST, 04:05 GMT)
Referee: Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Dan Waenga (New Zealand), Mike Winter (New Zealand)
TMO: tbc