Rugby: Reds shake up backs for Rebels showdown

Reds debutant Jake McIntyre playing for Australia during the 2014 Junior World Championships. Photo / Getty Images

Rookie first five-eighth Jake McIntyre will make his Super Rugby debut in a new-look Queensland Reds side against the in-form Melbourne Rebels tomorrow night.

The 21-year-old has been named to start in what has been a problem position for the bottom-placed Reds all year, replacing Nick Frisby, who is in doubt with concussion.

McIntyre has been unavailable for the majority of the 2015 season due to off-season knee surgery.

His inclusion comes amid a backline shakeup for Queensland, with Karmichael Hunt returning at outside centre, Lachie Turner shifted to the wing and James O'Connor moved to fullback.

Hunt has been sidelined for the last three weeks with an adductor injury and a nasty bout of gastro.

Anthony Fainga'a drops out of the side due to concussion, with Samu Kerevi to play at inside centre.

Embattled Reds coach Richard Graham said tomorrow's clash at Suncorp Stadium is a must-win, on the back of last round's embarrassing capitulation to the Crusaders in New Zealand, which has increased the scrutiny on his tenure.

"There has been a fair bit of self-review going on this week but as they say, the great thing about sport is there is always next week," Graham said.

He said it had long been his plan to play Hunt in the centres.

"I had always thought that given 10 or 12 games he'd naturally shift forward but we haven't seen too much of him through circumstance.

"Given our own circumstance, time is not something we have as a luxury and hence the change. We hope to get a little bit more talk and variation in the outside channel."

The Reds have won seven out of their nine meetings with the Rebels but the Melbourne outfit is humming following consecutive wins over the Chiefs and the Blues.

- AAP