Rugby: Melbourne Rebels halfback Ryan Louwrens out for the season

Melbourne Rebels halfback Ryan Louwrens almost certainly has played his last game for the season

Rebels halfback Ryan Louwrens has suffered a serious bicep injury

Melbourne Rebels halfback Ryan Louwrens almost certainly has played his last game for the season after damaging his bicep against the Western Force last week.

Louwrens, one of the best kicking nines in Super Rugby AU, has had surgery this week to reattach tendons and coach Dave Wessels admitted on Thursday it was unlikely he would play again this year.

That seemingly was the trigger for Wessels to make a complete change in his halves for the match against the Brumbies at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night, rewarding Andrew Deegan for some consistent performance in training by moving him into the five-eighth position where he will link up with Fijian Test number nine Frank Lomani.

Deegan’s selection has triggered a complete change in the centres as well, with regular playmaker and captain Matt Toomua moving out to the inside centre position, with Campbell Magnay coming into the 13 position. In turn, that allows Andrew Kellaway, who is struggling to regain his early Super Rugby form, to move back out to the right wing this week.

One of the real stalwarts of the side, inside centre Billy Meakes, also has dropped down to the bench as Wessels actively rotates his squad ahead of the playoffs. He will be joined in the reserves by former Queensland halfback James “Bob” Tuttle, who has had a wretched run of injuries. His selection caused his teammates to break out in spontaneous applause when it was announced.

The changes also extended to the forwards, as Wessels explained.

“Matt Philip comes back into a starting position (at lock), and Michael Stolberg and we are lucky that we have four good second rowers who are all playing well,” he said. “In the back-row, Josh Kemeny had a break last week so he’s back in. He’s starting in place of Michael Wells and then Brad Wilkin is starting at seven (openside flanker) in place of Richard Harwick who is on the bench. We feel he has been one of our better players in recent weeks.”

The Brumbies have made two changes to their starting side with Adam Muirhead returning to the wing position in place of Wallabies contender Tom Wright, while one of the team leaders, Tom Cusack, will start at openside flanker in place of Will Miller.

Otherwise, the side is unchanged from the one that won a thriller against the Queensland Reds last week.

Meanwhile, Queensland has brought a member of the Australian Under 18 side, prop Zane Nonggorr, on to the bench for a possible Super Rugby debut against NSW at the SCG on Saturday.

In the only change to the side, Wallaby sensation Jordan Petaia, who made a stunning 60 minute cameo against the Brumbies last weekend, takes over on the wing from the injured Chris Feauai-Sautia. Josh Flook returns to the match day 23 following Petaia’s promotion to the starting side.