Christian Lealiifano named to come off bench for Brumbies after leukaemia diagnosis

Christian Lealiifano
Christian Lealiifano before being diagnosed with leukaemia last year. Photo credit: Getty

 

Christian Lealiifano will make his Super Rugby return in the Brumbies quarter final against the Hurricanes just 11 months after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

The 29-year-old was diagnosed with the illness back in August 2016 whilst he was in the midst of a Super Rugby campaign with the Brumbies.

Falling ill for a number of weeks before tests revealed the disease, Lealiifano underwent a successful bone marrow transplant in February.

The playmaker made his return to the rugby field for the Brumbies in a mid-season friendly in Singapore last month but suffered a hamstring injury, hampering his plans to return to Super Rugby.

He will come off the bench for the Brumbies who've made bulk changes to the side that fell 28-10 to the Chiefs in Hamilton with Wallabies lock Sam Carter leading a pack that includes internationals Scott Sio, Rory Arnold and Scott Fardy.

Brumbies: 15. Tom Banks 14. Henry Speight 13. Tevita Kuridrani 12. Andrew Smith 11. James Dargaville 10. Wharenui Hawera 9. Joe Powell 8. Jordan Smiler 7. Chris Alcock 6. Scott Fardy 5. Sam Carter (C) 4. Rory Arnold 3. Alan Alaalatoa 2. Josh Mann-Rea 1. Scott Sio

Reserves: 16. Robbie Abel 17. Ben Alexander 18. Leslie Leulua'iali'i-Makin 19. Blake Enever 20. Jarrad Butler 21. Thomas Cubelli 22. Jordan Jackson-Hope 23. Christian Lealiifano

Newshub.