Melbourne have been left to rue another slow start in crashing to the table-topping Hurricanes.
Wallaby Taniela Tupou will come off the bench for the third time in five appearances for the Melbourne Rebels.
Melbourne have made it back-to-back Super Rugby Pacific wins, holding on to beat Moana Pasifika 29-23 in Waikato.
Prop Taniela Tupou headlines a new-look Melbourne Rebels squad ahead of the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Melbourne have edged the Highlanders 31-30 in their final round clash but the Kiwi team grabbed a bonus point to leapfrog the Western Force into the Super Rugby Pacific finals.
The Hurricanes have remained within touching distance of the Chiefs in their hunt for a top four finish in Super Rugby Pacific.
After blowing a vital win on the siren last round, the Rebels' theme for their Super Rugby Pacific clash with the Hurricanes is about redemption.
Melbourne Rebels have clawed their way into Super Rugby Pacific finals contention and victory over the competition-leading Blues would be a huge boost to their cause.
A trio of injuries have paved the way for the Queensland Reds captaincy debut of Lukhan Salakaia-Loto to cap a rollercoaster week in which the Wallabies forward confirmed his exit from Australian rugby.
The Melbourne Rebels are thrilled to announce the signings of two highly-touted teenagers ahead of the upcoming 2022 Super Rugby season.