ACT Brumbies Head Coach Dan McKellar has made two changes to the starting XV for the Friday night showdown with the Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane with Rory Arnold and Lachlan McCaffrey coming into the side.

Lock Arnold replaces his brother Richie in the second row with McCaffrey, who made a try scoring appearance for the luckless Rob Valetini against the Sunwolves in Tokyo, starting his first Brumbies Super Rugby match since 2014.

There are three changes amongst the replacements with Auckland-born prop Nic Mayhew recovered from injury and selected on the bench in place of Faalelei Sione, whilst Lolo Fakaosilea comes in as back row cover and Blake Enever, a non-playing reserve in Tokyo, back in the match-day twenty-three.

Other than that, it’s as you were for the team that scored five tries in the gutsy 32-25 success over the Sunwolves, a match in which the Brumbies showed excellent character and composure to overturn a half-time deficit to claim the victory.

Ben Alexander edges ever-closer to the 150-cap milestone by starting in an unchanged front row alongside hooker Josh Mann-Rea and Allan Alaalatoa, the former having scored a trademark try off the back of a rolling maul at the Prince Chichibu Stadium.

Sam Carter will lead the team as captain, lining up alongside Arnold in an all-Wallaby second row, with McCaffrey packing down in a dynamic looking backrow combination alongside the mobile Tom Cusack and the hard-running Isi Naisarani.

Joe Powell and Christian Lealiifano form the halfback pairing with the duo aiming to continue to enhance their understanding together and free the likes of Kyle Godwin and Tevita Kuridrani into open ground, both of whom claimed tires in the opening round success.

Out wide Henry Speight and Chance Peni will be looking to get ball in hand in space with Tom Banks another potent attacking threat from fullback, Banks making a return to his former stomping ground having earned a brace of caps for the Reds before heading to the national capital.

Outside of the three changes on the bench outlined, Robbie Abel continues as back-up hooker with Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin the other prop option alongside the returning Mayhew. McKellar has opted for a five/three split in the replacements with scrumhalf Matt Lucas, utility back Wharenui Hawera and Lausii Taliauli the options available.

The Brumbies face the Reds at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Friday evening with the match live on Fox Sports.

Brumbies team to play Reds:

1. Ben ALEXANDER
2. Josh MANN-REA
3. Allan ALAALATOA
4. Rory ARNOLD
5. Sam CARTER
6. Lachlan MCCAFFREY
7. Tom CUSACK
8. Isi NAISARANI
9. Joe POWELL
10. Christian LEALIIFANO
11. Chance PENI
12. Kyle GODWIN
13. Tevita KURIDRANI
14. Henry SPEIGHT
15. Tom BANKS

REPLACEMENTS

16. Robbie ABEL
17. Nic MAYHEW
18. Leslie LEULUAIALII-MAKIN
19. Blake ENEVER
20. Lolo FAKAOSILEA
21. Matt LUCAS
22. Wharenui HAWERA
23. Lausii TALIAULI