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Michael Cheika makes two changes to Wallabies squad for Argentina clash

11th September, 2017
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Douglas returns to Australian Rugby. (Paul Barkley, LookPro)
11th September, 2017
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Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has dumped Kane Douglas from his squad for Saturday’s Test against Argentina in Canberra to make way for rookie lock Lukhan Tui.

Douglas started in the 2015 World Cup final for Australia but has battled to replicate that form since and has been sent back to the National Rugby Championship in search of game time.

The 28-year-old was lured back to Australian rugby at great expense two years ago but has been overtaken at the Queensland Reds and now in the Test pecking order by young guns Tui and Izack Rodda.

Tui, 20, has recently recovered from knee surgery and was called up for the first time by Cheika in June but is yet to make his Wallabies debut.

Rodda, 21, made his first appearance for Australia in last month’s Bledisloe Cup defeat in Dunedin.

With Adam Coleman and Rory Arnold now the clear first-choice lock combination for the Wallabies – and with Cheika keeping a close eye on Tui and Rodda – it seems a long road back for Douglas, who has not made a single Test appearance this year.

Meanwhile, former skipper Stephen Moore is back in the squad after sitting out Saturday’s 23-23 draw with South Africa for the birth of his third child, with hooker Tolu Latu dropping out.

The only other change is the expected exclusion of winger Dane Haylett-Petty who is ruled out for the rest of the year after undergoing biceps surgery.

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Saturday’s clash at GIO Stadium is Australia’s first in Canberra since 2010, while Argentina haven’t played there for 17 years.

WALLABIES SQUAD
FORWARDS: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Jack Dempsey, Tetera Faulkner, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (capt), Sekope Kepu, Adam Korczyk, Sean McMahon, Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Lopeti Timani, Lukhan Tui, Jordan Uelese.

BACKS: Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Reece Hodge, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani, Billy Meakes, Izaia Perese, Nick Phipps, Joe Powell, Curtis Rona, Henry Speight.

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