Star lock Jonny Gray returns in one of eight changes to Scotland’s starting side to face Australia in Saturday’s rugby Test in Sydney.
The Scots will field an entirely new front row and back three to those that started in last weekend’s 34-13 victory over Italy in Singapore.
Gray’s inclusion is the most significant change in a strengthened team.
Anticipating a high-tempo game with lots of ball movement from the Wallabies, Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said the 23-year-old’s defence would be critical at Allianz Stadium.
A controversial omission from the British and Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand, Gray is famous for attempting 85 tackles in one Six Nations campaign – and missing just one.
Townsend admits he deliberately kept Gray fresh for the Wallabies, who ran in five tries in their season-opening 34-12 win over Fiji last Saturday in Melbourne.
“We’ve managed him for a reason to make sure he’s ready to go for this game,” Townsend said on Thursday
“He’s been a key player for Scotland the last two or three seasons. He’s in great form. He can’t wait to play.”
Townsend said he always planned to field a vastly different line-up against the Wallabies.
“We were always keen on this tour (to ensure) that players who were close to selection got an opportunity,” he said.
“A few of them got an opportunity last week and some do this week.
“When you put a squad together, firstly you’re putting together a team that you believe can win the game. On a tour, there’s other considerations.
“You want to see which players are up for Test level and we want to give them the opportunity. It’s obviously after them after that.”
Scotland team to play Wallabies
Greig Tonks, Lee Jones, Alex Dunbar, Duncan Taylor, Rory Hughes, Finn Russell, Ali Price, Ryan Wilson, Hamish Watson, John Barclay, Jonny Gray, Ben Toolis, Zander Fagerson, Fraser Brown, Gordon Reid. Reserves: Ross Ford, Allan Dell, Willem Nel, Tim Swinson, Josh Strauss, Henry Pyrgos, Ruaridh Jackson, Matt Scott.
Bakkies
Guest
That was in the 90s
Paul
Guest
Scots by 5
Paul
Guest
If your good enough being tall at 6 or 8 means nothing. Aussie flankers Matt Cockbain was 197 cm and Finegan 196 cm..
Bakkies
Guest
defensive patterns that don't work against a continuity game. Then you have talk of Meale playing 12, the bloke can't tackle there is no way you would put him against Rohan Janse van Rensburg and SBW. Pity Cheika can't see that.
Bakkies
Guest
He is too tall to be a test 8 and even at blindside. Just look at what Ben Youngs did to Pieter-Steph du Toit last year when Coetzee picked him on the blindside he was too slow react doing loose forward work in defence. It cost the Boks at least 3 tries. The Stormers picked du Toit at blindside this year and the same thing happened.
Bakkies
Guest
Price is quiet lively if defence around the rucks is lazy he will snipe all game.
Highlander
Guest
That's not fair Bakkies,v Wallabies have defensive patterns, in fact - lots of them
uglykiwi
Roar Pro
Scots by 10.
Browny
Roar Rookie
I do like the look of some of our potential 'big boy' stocks going forward. Coleman, Arnold, Timani, Naisarani (when eligible in a year or so), L Tui, maybe some bolters like Phillip and Rodda, maybe Skelton will be a genuine option after some more time up north (as per Nick Bishop's article the other day)... I'm, sure I've missed some players there too...
Link
Guest
Lukhan Tui is the future.This bloke will be our 8 or 6 moving forward.The bloke can scoot over the grass, bust tackles, offload , smash guys, has a decent engine, as well as being a lineout option.He is not even 21 yet.. Height 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Weight 124 kg (19 st 7 lb) Date of birth 19 September 1996 ( age 20)
Bakkies
Guest
Scotland will offload a lot and the Wallabies non existent defensive patterns will be tested
Browny
Roar Rookie
He and his twin brother, Alex, moved over to play for Edinburgh in 2013 so at about 21 years old. Does't look like they got a playing gig after u20s, etc. Alex is back in Australia with the Rebels but injured his back before the season even started so hasn't played for them.
DLKN
Guest
Ben Toolis looks to be a player of real promise. A genuinely hard man, tall and athletic. He qualifies for the Scots through his mum, even though he was born in Brisbane, schooled at Marist College Ashgrove, and spent time in the Jeeps academy. Then it was off to Edinburgh - and the unofficial man of the match last weekend. Another potential long-term Wallaby lost through poor recruitment and retention?
Kane
Guest
I think just their tight five will be. Cheika will release the loose forwards tomorrow morning, inside backs Saturday lunch time and the outside backs after the anthems.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Good points , however I would NOT have Hardwick on the bench, he only covers no 7 and Hooper will play the whole game. My starters would be Coleman, Arnold, Timani, Hooper, Higgs bench Tui, Hanigan Hanigan would replace Timani so the lineout would remain the same strength. Note that the backrowers scotland chose are not noted for lineouts. Carter did not show me sufficient physicality or impact against Fiji that I would retain him for Scotland.
Highlander
Guest
This test should be good one. Like the Scots midfield + Russell, and their back row, Gray will make a thousand tackles in the second row. Would have liked to see Nel start, but I think this is first game back from injury. How Fraser Brown was left out for Rory Best is still beyond me, he was awesome in 6N. Looks light halfback and fullback.
Browny
Roar Rookie
I have concerns over his set piece ability at test level... although I may be off the mark. I guess I'm also thinking that last weekend we had Carter, Coleman, Hanigan and Higginbotham as good lineout targets. I'd like to see Timani go to 6 and he's a step down in the air compared to Hanigan, so throwing Tui into the mix further reduces the quality of options. If Hardwick is the reserve backrow and comes on for Higgers it gets worse, you could potentially have Tui, Coleman and Timani as targets.... not ideal. I haven't watched enough of Tui play to comment on his scrummaging but I certainly like his approach to general play. I guess I think of him as more of a project player to develop for 2018 and 2019 being behind Coleman, Arnold and Carter and if he's going to play in this series I'd probably prefer it to be against Italy.
PeterK
Roar Guru
since coleman played 80 mins against Fiji he can play 80 mins against scotland and be the lineout caller with Higgs as backup caller to cater for injury. That means Coleman and Arnold should start with Tui off the bench.
Paul
Guest
Why can Hanigan have his debut last week but not Tui this week? In comparison Tui is a mongrel, Hanigan is a mouse.If Chieks plays Hanigan or Robertson he has made another Blunder.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Good ideas, Browny.