Multi-skilled back-rower Julian Salvi is poised to take the Brumbies' No.8 jersey from skipper Stephen Hoiles on their three-match South African safari.

Hoiles sustained a medial ligament tear in his left knee in the uplifting 21-11 win over NSW in Canberra on Friday night which is expected to sideline him for more than a month.

Former Queensland lineout ace Mitchell Chapman was on Sunday named as Hoiles' replacement in a 26-man tour squad but is unlikely to be fit for Saturday's clash with the Lions in Johannesburg due to a lingering shoulder problem.

While Salvi was demoted to the bench on Friday night as coach Andy Friend opted to beef up his back-row against the powerful Waratahs, the talented 23-year-old has been in good form at blindside flanker this season.

He also has proven himself at No.8, standing in for an injured Hoiles last season when the Brumbies upset the Blues at Auckland's Eden Park.

"It's a massive blow losing Stephen, not just for is on-field performance but his off-field performance, he's slipped really well into that (captaincy) role," Friend said.

"(Salvi) replaced him the other night and did well and he was unlucky to lose his (starting) position after three very solid performances in the first three games.

"We made a judgement call for the Waratah game that a larger player would be better and I actually thought Peter Kimlin did well so Jules will more than likely get that opportunity at No.8."

The Brumbies won't name a replacement captain until Wednesday but Wallabies skipper Stirling Mortlock, who handed the reins to Hoiles this year, and George Smith are the leading candidates.

Friend has added Chapman, Shawn Mackay, Alfi Mafi, Gene Fairbanks and Guy Shepherdson to the team which beat NSW in his tour party.

The Brumbies - who play the Lions, Sharks and Cheetahs in South Africa - moved to sixth with their two-tries-to-one win to be five points from joint competition leaders NSW and the Bulls (18).

Lock Mark Chisholm is expected to overcome a head knock to play the struggling Lions.

Brumbies squad: Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Mitchell Chapman, Mark Chisholm, Huia Edmonds, Francis Fainifo, Gene Fairbanks, Mark Gerrard, Ben Hand, Nic Henderson, Joshua Holmes, Peter Kimlin, Christian Lealiifano, Salesi Ma'afu, Shawn Mackay, Alfi Mafi, Stephen Moore, Stirling Mortlock, Patrick Phibbs, Clyde Rathbone, Julian Salvi, Guy Shepherdson, George Smith, Tyrone Smith, Sitaleki Timani, Matt Toomua.

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