Super Rugby season 2015: Stephen Moore set to come into Brumbies line-up to play Rebels

WALLABIES’ captain Stephen Moore is poised to rejoin the Brumbies’ starting line-up as the ACT powerhouse prepares for a torrid encounter with the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday night.

Brumbies and Wallabies captain Steven Moore wearing the new Aquis Brumbies jersey at GIO Stadium.

WALLABIES’ captain Stephen Moore is poised to rejoin the Brumbies’ starting line-up as the ACT powerhouse prepares for a torrid encounter with the Melbourne Rebels on Saturday night.

The tough forward has come off the bench in the Brumbies’ first two games against Queensland and the Waikato Chiefs.

But Moore is now ready for a run-on role and will also relieve Nic White of leadership duties in what is a pivotal clash with the Rebels.

Stephen Moore brushes past the tackle of Western Force's Junior Rasolea.

With all five Australian teams sharing a 1-1 win-loss record, the Brumbies (six points) head the local conference from Melbourne, NSW and Force (all five points) and Qld (four).

White has warned his teammates against becoming rapidly-improving Melbourne’s next victim.

“The Rebels have earned plenty of respect the last couple of weeks and they’re going to take a lot of scalps, we have to be mentally ready and make sure we’re not one of them,” he said in Canberra.

Melbourne has a 2-6 overall record against the Brumbies, including a tight 32-24 victory at AAMI Park last year.

Rebels’ scrumhalf Nic Stirzaker says the key to success is sustained effort.

“We definitely need an 80-minute performance,” he said. “They’re a side that really grinds you out.

“They kick really well — they’ve got a really good kick strategy — they don’t play a lot or rugby in their own half.

“So it’s really important that you stay in the fight.

“Last year, when we played them at AAMI, it was really tight and we got away with it in the end.

“It will be a tough, physical game and we’ve got to stay in it to the end.

“They’re a quality side, very physical and structured in the way they play the game.

“They’ve got virtually an all-Wallaby backline — or almost — so it’s a really big challenge for us.

“We’ve had two strong games and it’s another chance for us to put a good performance in front of our fans at AAMI.”

Stirzaker said a review of the 38-28 loss to NSW identified a need to “use some of the ball we got a bit better.”

“It was a good contest, they’re a really good side and they finished the game off well but it was definitely in the balance there,” he said.

“We just have to be better in a few key moments.”