Super 15s rugby: Rebels hope for Mortlock debut in Ballarat

VICTORIA'S fledgling Super 15s rugby union team will find out today if superstar Stirling Mortlock will make his Melbourne Rebels playing debut in Ballarat on Saturday.The former Wallaby and ACT Brumbies captain, one of a host of players with international experience to sign for the club's first Super 15s season, remains a chance to play in the international trial match against Fiji at St Patrick's College.Mortlock will train today in Melbourne, a decision on Saturday's match to be made at the conclusion of the session.Meanwhile, fellow Wallaby and Rebels recruit Julian Huxley was in Ballarat yesterday, visiting Sovereign Hill and spreading the Rebels gospel ahead of the trial match.Huxley has been ruled out for the match against Fiji with groin soreness but will attend a rugby skills clinic at St Patrick's prior to the match."I would like to have played but now it looks like I will play against the Crusaders the following week," the 31-year-old fullback said yesterday."On the positive, I had been worried I was going to miss the start of the season."Huxley, who has represented Australia nine times at Test level, said the opportunity to take rugby into new territory, such as Ballarat, was part of the appeal of joining the new Melbourne club.