Ralph last appeared in Super Rugby in 2008, winning the title with the Crusaders © Getty Images

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Players/Officials: Digby Ioane | Ewen McKenzie | Caleb Ralph

Tournaments/Tours: Super Rugby

Teams: Australia | Crusaders | New Zealand

Caleb Ralph, one of Super Rugby's most experienced players, has received a sensational call up from the Reds for their final pool stage match of the season.

Ralph, who has been named in the squad for the Reds' game against the Chiefs', ironically the team who Ralph debuted with 14 years ago, has joined up with his Reds team-mates in New Zealand having being taken out of club rugby for the clash. The 14-test All Blacks winger will equal George Gregan's 136 Super Rugby appearances if he makes it onto the field, thus becoming the tournament's third most-capped player. The call-up comes three years after his last Super Rugby game, a match where he picked up his sixth title with the Crusaders, a total only bettered by his former skipper Reuben Thorne.

Ralph, speaking to The Sydney Morning Herald, will have to change his allegiance after supporting his former team-mates against the Reds last month. "I was right behind the Crusaders but it's a different story this week," Ralph said. "I knew there were a few injuries but I wouldn't have thought I'd get that call.2008 was my last season so I thought that was put to bed, that part of my career, so it's nice."

His new coach, Ewen Mckenzie, is hoping to draw on all of Ralph's considerable experience in what he hopes will be a victorious season for the Queensland outfit. "We couldn't afford to go younger (for a replacement), we needed more experience and I think we've found possibly the most experienced Super Rugby player available," McKenzie said. "That's the key thing at the moment; I don't think he's going to be overawed by coming in at short notice. He's won six titles with the Crusaders so he's seen this end of the season quite a bit."

In team news elsewhere, Dan Vickerman comes onto the Waratahs bench for their crunch match against the Brumbies having not featured in Super Rugby for the past three years. The Waratahs' opponents the Highlanders have made four changes to last week's side, bringing in journeyman Tony Brown, Jason Rutledge, Bronson Murray and Aaron Smith. D

avid Pocock will captain the Force in Nathan Sharpe's absence as they aim to finish the season on a high against the Melbourne Rebels on Friday. The injury-ravaged Blues have also rung the changes bringing in Chris Smylie and Lachie Munro in place of Alby Mathewson and Rene Ranger respectively. Peter Saili also comes into the side at No.8 and Winston Stanley finds himself in the 22 for only the second time this season.