Melbourne Rebels forward Scott Higginbotham to miss British and Irish Lions series with injury

SCOTT Higginbotham's series-ending injury is the unfortunate catalyst that has clarified the Wallabies' backrow for the first Test against the Lions.

SCOTT Higginbotham's series-ending injury is the unfortunate catalyst that has clarified the Wallabies' starting backrow for the first Test against the British and Irish Lions.

So potent had the 109kg forward been over the past two months for the Melbourne Rebels he was literally bullocking his way into a re-mix of the backrow plan for the June 22 scene-setter in Brisbane.

His irresistible blend of line-bending runs, lineout acumen and fresh shrewdness, bred from his captaincy stint, were pressuring a re-think on Dave Dennis as the starting blindside flanker.

The potential domino effect was major.

If Dennis was not going to call the lineouts from the outset would it mean Queensland Reds caller Rob Simmons becoming a certainty as a lock?

Instead, the Wallabies backrow now looks set as No.8 Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, at openside flanker and 2012 Test regular Dennis at No.6.

Uncapped ACT Brumbies No.8-flanker Ben Mowen, a fine lineout organiser, pilferer supreme Liam Gill and the reactivated Ben McCalman are the backrow back-ups with big roles to play.

The desolate Higginbotham underwent a shoulder reconstruction in Melbourne yesterday after the bone-on-bone collision that dislocated the right joint in a tackle on Beau Robinson at Suncorp Stadium last weekend.

The ligaments were too badly damaged to give him any option at mending them with intense treatment for a role later in the series, as he had hoped.

He will miss all Test rugby in 2013 and faces a long rehabilitation for a comeback for the Rebels to start Super Rugby next season.

Higginbotham has an X-factor that the Wallabies cannot replace in the backrow because of his athleticism and try-scoring knack (six for the Rebels in 2013).

Wallaby medicos allowed the shoulder to settle for a few days after the damage sustained ramming into the knee of Reds flanker Robinson but surgery became the only option.

Prop Ben Daley has made it clear that the Reds' clash against the Lions on Saturday night will be a full-throttle affair.

"Traditionally, these games are hard and brutal and there will be no backward step on that front from us,'' said Daley, who will be one of 12 Wallabies named today in the Reds squad.

"Personally, my season has struggled to get going because of injury so to now have this game to look forward to is massive. For different reasons, all the guys feel that way.

"The cohesion we have for a game plan we've been working at for a few seasons is a big plus so no way is this an exhibition game for the Reds.''