Rebels coach Robert Hill has confidence in replacements to counter the Bumbies

MELBOURNE Rebels coach Damien Hill is confident his players can again adjust following several changes for tomorrow night's clash with the Brumbies.

Coach Damien Hill

HAVING to make regular changes to his line-up has given Melbourne Rebels coach Damien Hill confidence his players can again adjust for tomorrow night's clash with the Brumbies.

A combination of injuries and national call-ups has forced Hill to make 10 changes from the team that lost to Queensland Reds in Brisbane last weekend.

There are five new players in the run-on side, including inexperienced halves Nic Stirzaker and Bryce Hegarty, replacing Wallabies Nick Phipps and James O'Connor.

"It's always unsettling but it's happened enough now that we are getting better at handling it," Hill said yesterday of the changes.

"Bryce did a sensational job for us in the three weeks previous (while O'Connor was injured) and he's itching for another opportunity."

Hill said fill-in halfback Stirzaker was equally excited about getting his second start.

Former Wallabies scrumhalf Luke Burgess is an able back-up on the bench, but the coach said he might not be required. Burgess arrived at the club on Monday after two seasons in France and has spent the week learning key drills.

"We'll limit the knowledge to what he really needs to know and back his experience for the rest," Hill said.

"It will be similar stuff to what he's heard before, just different names, and the slight tweaks he'll find challenging and exciting."

Captain Gareth Delve returns to No.8 for Scott Higginbotham, while Cadeyrn Neville and Jordy Reid replace injured forwards Hugh Pyle and Jarrod Saffy.

With Japanese hooker Shota Horie on international duties,

Pat Leafa wins his first call-up to the bench, while back-rower James King will also make his Rebels debut from the bench alongside Tim Davidson.