A number of Australian representatives are eyeing a rugby union trial match on the Border.
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The Brumbies and Melbourne Rebels will meet at Lavington Sportsground No.2 Oval on Friday, February 19, from 4pm.
It will be the second successive season the clubs have played Super Rugby in Albury after the city's rugby league headquarters - Greenfield Park - hosted two matches last January.
Albury's rugby union outfit - the Steamers - are again behind the match, along with Albury City Council.
"It's another great opportunity to get the highest standard of rugby on the Border and to have it at the Sportsground, we couldn't be happier," Steamers' president Mick Raynes enthused.
"It's a great facility and something Albury-Wodonga should get right behind."
Lavington Sportsground has undergone a $19.6 million redevelopment and was officially opened last November.
The rugby union will be played on the 'new' ground, while the AFL pre-season match between Richmond and the Western Bulldogs on February 27 will be played on the 'original' ground.
"We really enjoyed heading to Albury last year, it's a great venue, great people and we're always happy to take the game regionally," Rebels CEO Baden Stephenson said.
The trial is timed uniquely as the Brumbies will kick off the official Super Rugby season the same night against the Western Force in Perth.
Last year's Australian conference winners will therefore field its development squad, which could well include top-liners returning from injury, while the Rebels don't start the season until the following week so they, potentially, could field a world-class outfit, boasting 10 national players.
"Marika Koroibete's got a huge following here in Melbourne, he's a John Eales medallist, he's one of our most recognisable names, as is Matt Toomua, who was vice-captain of the Wallabies," Stephenson said.
"Reece Hodge has played the last four or five years with the Wallabies, our captain is Dane Haylett-Petty, while Jordan Uelese has been with the Wallabies for a couple of years."
Not unexpectedly, last year was a strange one in Super Rugby, which involves teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, while the Sunwolves from Japan also contested last year's titles.
However, due to COVID-19, the traditional competition was scrapped after a handful of rounds.
The three major countries were then divided back into their own competitions.
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The Rebels fell to the Queensland Reds in the preliminary final, with the Brumbies claiming the national title.
The Brumbies and Rebels will meet again in Super Rugby on March 6.
