Super Rugby
Wallabies Stephen Moore, David Pocock named in Brumbies trial squad
AAP
February 11, 2016
David Pocock
David Pocock© Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Wallabies captain Stephen Moore is among a host of Australian stars set to play their first game since last year's World Cup in the Brumbies' final Super Rugby trial against the Queensland Reds on Friday.

Coach Stephen Larkham has named a strong 26-man squad for the clash in Brisbane, including Moore and David Pocock. Co-captains Moore and Christian Lealiifano will both start after being rested from last week's 21-17 pre-season loss to the NSW Waratahs, as will Wallabies flankers Scott Fardy and Pocock.

Fardy's inclusion comes just a few days after he was reportedly sent to hospital following a car accident in Canberra's CBD.

"This is our last trial so we're trying to get as many minutes out of these guys as possible," Larkham said on Thursday. "Some guys will play 40 minutes, but most of them will play 50 to 60 minutes."

Lealiifano has been named at No.10, with Matt Toomua shifted back to inside centre - Larkham's preferred combination.

Wallaby Sam Carter, new Argentinian half Tomas Cubelli, Rory Arnold and Aidan Toua have all kept their starting spots from the Waratahs game. So too has try-scorer Allan Alaalatoa, with Scott Sio, who has been recovering from knee and elbow injuries suffered in the World Cup, on the bench.

But Larkham admits the return to the 15-a-side game will be tough for Henry Speight following an intense six-game Sydney Sevens campaign last weekend.

Speight, who will start on the wing on Friday, only rejoined the team on Wednesday and has had just one day to pick up the Brumbies' new moves and patterns.

"So it's been quite difficult," said Larkham. "He's a little bit fatigued ... his legs are still very heavy, so we'll see how he goes. But I think it's important, because it's our last trial, to get him out there and see how the combination goes."

Speight expects to be ok to play at least 40 minutes on Friday to get his mind back in the game after training with the Sevens squad the past month.

"It's very important to just get that feeling back," he said, adding that he's shed a few kilos in his transition. I'm just trying to come back and adapt as quickly as I can, I don't have long."

Brumbies: Aidan Toua, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Joe Tomane, Tomas Cubelli, Christian Lealiifano (c), Ita Vaea, David Pocock, Scott Fardy, Sam Carter, Rory Arnold, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore (c), Allan Alaalatoa.

Reserves: Robbie Abel, Scott Sio, Leslie Leuluaialii-Makin, Blake Enever, Jarrad Butler, Michael Dowsett, Nick Jooste, Andrew Smith, Tom Staniforth, Jordan Smiler, Nigel Ah Wong.

© AAP

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