There are four personnel changes and two positional swaps in the Waratahs side for their clash with the Brumbies in Sydney on Saturday.
Hunt has been elevated to the starting XV following a superb cameo off the bench against the Force last week.
He will line up at inside centre, triggering a backline reshuffle with Joey Walton moving to No 13, Alex Newsome moving on to the left wing in place of Mark Nawaqanitawase, who has been relegated to the bench.
In the pack, Wallaby loosehead prop Tom Robertson comes into a new-look front row after four months out with a back injury. Rookie Tom Horton will have his first Super Rugby start at hooker, pushing Robbie Abel to the bench.
Jack Dempsey makes his return to the starting XV after two weeks coming off the bench, swapping with youngster Will Harris.
Waratahs – 15 Jack Maddocks, 14 James Ramm, 13 Joey Walton, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 11 Alex Newsome, 10 Will Harrison, 9 Mitch Short, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Lachlan Swinton, 5 Rob Simmons (c), 4 Ned Hanigan, 3 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Tom Horton, 1 Tom Robertson.
Subs: 16 Robbie Abel, 17 Tetera Faulkner, 18 Angus Bell, 19 Tom Staniforth, 20 Will Harris, 21 Michael Mcdonald, 22 Mark Nawaqanitawase, 23 Ben Dondaldson.
Photo: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
