Brumbies v Melbourne Rebels, Canberra Stadium

19:40 local, 09:40 GMT, 19:40 EST, 19:10 CST, 17:40 WST

Head to Head: Played 5; Brumbies 4, Rebels 1

In Canberra: Played 2; Brumbies 2, Rebels 0

Last clash: Round 2, 2013 - Rebels 13 - 30 Brumbies, AAMI Park, Melbourne

Preview: The Brumbies can edge one step closer to the Australian Conference title with a win here; and bonus-point win will make them just that bit harder for Queensland Reds to catch, as well, given the points difference between the sides already near 100 points. That, of course, won't be a focus of the side in the heat of the battle on Friday night, but it is a factor of which Jake White and the team are well aware -and are striving to achieve if the opportunity presents.

The Brumbies will be without five Wallabies, aside from the injured David Pocock and George Smith, and White has also said that barnstorming loose forward Fotu Auelua won't be considered for selection. Auelua injured a shoulder against the Hurricanes in Canberra last week, and won't fully recover in time.

This is a big match for Nic White, at the end of a big week for the 22-year-old. After being overlooked as an injury replacement for the Wallabies - Rebels No.9 Nick Phipps was preferred - White trained with the Wallabies squad in Sydney on Tuesday, and was then unveiled on Wednesday as the Brumbies captain for this match. Following in the footsteps of Brett Robinson, George Gregan, Stirling Mortlock and Ben Mowen, White will become the Brumbies' youngest captain in the club's history.

Melbourne Rebels are also without their trio of Wallabies - Phipps, James O'Connor and their captain for most of this season, Scott Higginbotham, who has been ruled for the season and requires a shoulder reconstruction. Hugh Pyle and Jarrod Saffy are also missing, having picked up injuries in Brisbane last week.

The Rebels' backline, however, is essentially the same combination that toppled the Stormers and New South Wales Waratahs in successive weeks in May, when the halves pairing of Nick Stirzaker and Bryce Hegarty, particularly, impressed plenty with their respective passing games and game management.

The young Rebels pack might be in for a tough night, though, even with Welsh No.8 Gareth Delve returning to the starting side and resuming the captaincy. The absence of their two best forwards in 2013, Pyle and Higginbotham, will be massive. And even without Mowen and Wallabies front-rowers Ben Alexander and Stephen Moore for the Brumbies, the Rebels still have to contend with the likes of Scott Sio, Dan Palmer up front, and Scott Fardy and Sam Carter in the second row. Don't be surprised to see rangy lock/flanker Peter Kimlin running around at No.8, either.

Tip: Brumbies by 12

Sunday, June 9

Tip: Force by 3

Byes: Blues, Bulls, Cheetahs, Chiefs, Crusaders, Highlanders, Hurricanes, Queensland Reds, Sharks, Southern Kings, Stormers.

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