Rebels pair Mike Harris and Colby Fainga’a set for combined 18 weeks on sidelines

KEY pair Mike Harris and Colby Fainga’a are set for long stints on the sidelines as the long-term injuries at Melbourne Rebels continue to stack up.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MAY 23: Colby Fainga'a of the Rebels is tackled during the round 15 Super Rugby match between the Rebels and the Waratahs at AAMI Park on May 23, 2014 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

KEY pair Mike Harris and Colby Fainga’a are set for long stints on the sidelines as the long-term injuries at Melbourne Rebels continue to stack up.

Harris and Fainga’a will fly home to Melbourne and will miss the Rebels’ clash with the Bulls in Pretoria on Sunday morning (AEDT).

It has been revealed Harris will miss 10 to 12 weeks with a quad strain, which he suffered in last weekend’s first-up win over Western Force in Perth.

In a further blow, Fainga’a will miss up to six weeks after scans revealed he has suffered an elbow strain.

South African-born Japanese international Kotaro Matsushima, along with Culum Retallick and Paul Asquith, have travelled to Johannesburg to join the squad for Sunday’s match.

They will face a Bulls side that is coming off a 33-9 loss to the Stormers last weekend.

Skipper Nic Stirzaker will miss out again with a shoulder injury, but is a chance to return for Melbourne’s first home game of the season against Queensland Reds on March 12.