Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has announced his team to play Scotland this Saturday, making just the one change to the side that defeated Fiji last weekend.
The sole change in the side is the introduction of debutant Eto Nabuli on the wing at the expense of Henry Speight.
Speight is out of the side after sustaining a minor hamstring strain during last week’s win against Fiji, in which the Brumbies winger scored a brace.
In his place is Fijian-born Nabuli, who will make his first appearance for the Wallabies on the back of a strong Super Rugby season for the Queensland Reds so far this year.
The remainder of the run-on side is unchanged; Michael Hooper has once again been named as captain in the absence of regular skipper Stephen Moore. Moore’s spot at hooker has once again been taken by Tatafu Polota-Nau.
Polota-Nau will be joined in the front row by Tom Robertson and Allan Alaalatoa, with Sam Carter and Adam Coleman as the side’s locks. Hooper will be joined in the back row by Waratahs teammate Ned Hanigan and Scott Higginbotham.
In the backs, Karmichael Hunt has kept his spot at inside centre after a strong debut in the no.12 jersey. He’ll be joined in the centres by Tevita Kuridrani, with Bernard Foley and Will Genia the halves.
Dane Haylett-Petty will line up on the wing opposite Nabuli, and Israel Folau will once again slot in at fullback.
Much like last week, Cheika didn’t name his bench for the match – the reserves will be announced tomorrow.
Scotland’s side was named earlier in the day, with visiting coach Gregor Townsend going in the opposite direction to Cheika by making a raft of changes to the team that defeated Italy 34-13 in Singapore last weekend.
1. Tom Robertson (8 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (69 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (10 Tests)
4. Sam Carter (14 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (10 Tests)
6. Ned Hanigan (1 Test)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (66 Tests)
8. Scott Higginbotham (33 Tests)
9. Will Genia (76 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (43 Tests)
11. Eto Nabuli*
12. Karmichael Hunt (1 Test)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (46 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (15 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (53 Tests)
Australia’s game against Scotland will kick off at 3pm on Saturday, June 17, at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, and you’ll be able to follow all of the action right here on The Roar with our live commentary and highlights.
Fry
Guest
QC a liability in just defense ??
ThugbyFan
Guest
LoL Machooka. Am so old, I adhere to the olde Victorian sado-masochist methods of rearing kids and keeping the missus tough to handle all them house chores. If its possible I will avoid the footpaths and make them all walk through the bramble bushes. Toughens them up for God and Country, hey wot old chap! :)
ThugbyFan
Guest
Ah yes Paul, when you said kids I wasn't thinking of a 2 year old, more like >10 yo. I imagine you would be carrying the lil one for most of the walk up the hill and anyone under 7 will also be whinging by Fitzroy St. tbh I have never caught the shuttles to or from Central as my kids were much older when I started dragging them to the Rugby so we just walked for the exercise. If the weather holds, Saturday afternoon footy is always a great family day. Like you my tickets are in the corner, Gate 18 I think. Here's hoping for a good crowd and have a great day with the family. :)
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Fry, I don't really Like Quade for the similar reasons. 2 Yellows and a red in defensive tackles is a liability.
Bring Back...?
Guest
Have never seen a better half of rugby played by a Wallabies team than the first half played by them in that match.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I'd say Robertson is the only front rower who wouldn't be a certainty over the past options. And even then he may be better. Coleman definitely. Hooper over Wilson.
Utah
Guest
Genia definitely on the bench before Whitaker. Folau on the bench before Jason Little. Foley or Kuridrani on the bench before Nathan Grey. And Kepu and Allan A in their somewhere. Thin pickings though, I agree.....
Utah
Guest
Yes, that is true, the lineout should be good. But it just seems to go against everything Cheika has stood for in the past. He has never placed much importance on the lineout. Even against the best exponents of it in NZ, he has continually ignored its importance. It's weird. Like the twilight zone.
PeterK
Roar Guru
same old voice timbo - you ignore that with hunt at 12 and foley defending more at 10 there are actually less moving parts and it does look like grey has changed the pattern.
PeterK
Roar Guru
not this year
Taniwha
Guest
Folau is also not allowed to make covering tackles at fullback.Lazy to the bone.
Browny
Roar Rookie
Peter, do you think Robertson is actually a better ball carrier than Smith? I've always thought Smith was fairly handy in that regard. He's certainly partial to a big linebreak and gallop down the filed in a similar vein to Sekope Kepu I hardly notice Robertson when he plays... he's certainly not dominating the scrum when they pack down so if he's not smashing rucks like they're going out of fashion or running the ball what is he doing that Sio or Smith (or even old Benny A) can't do better?
Paul
Guest
Robertson was beaten up at the tackle area.Too small for a international prop .This was the Fijians mate. Not a top 8 team.
Paul
Guest
Yeah Simmo is better.
Browny
Roar Rookie
Yeah Jameswm, Hanigan is twice the lineout option Timani is. Timani = heft, carries in tight, body shifting, repeated efforts around the breakdown, 4th lineout option Hanigan = genuine lineout option, more pace, better runner in the loose I don't think we need the lineout ability that Hanigan brings over Timani. Carter, Coleman and Higgers are 3 good targets and then Timani is enough for the occasional 'surprise' throw. 'Triple H' (Hanigan, Hooper, Higginbotham) is too loose for me, the three of them occupy too similar a space... Timani, Higgers and Hooper (tight to loose) is a much better spread across the park and I think Timani's ball carrying and ruck smashing ability would really add to the current team.
Fry
Guest
Falou isn't the first player in which the defense line was rearranged for, Quade Cooper as an example. Although fullback is an important defensive position that comes with that position and Falou is a 20-30 meter runner, point taken. However, Falou is too important offensively as a fullback to ignore and Cheika is playing him as such. Cheika's 2016 of shuffling line ups is over. Players will get more than one oportunity to prove themselves. Hanigan performed ok for a debutant and he is not that much of a lightweight at 110 kg. Expect to see a hungry Dempsey come off the bench soon.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Same old voice here, Half Right, Folau does rove back and forward and insert.... in attack and he is quite good at it. He features quite a bit in the highlights reel. But where does Cheik and Gibson put him in defense and why? The yellow card incident gives us a clue. He is at 14, leaving Foley and DHP to provide cover for the downfield kicks, Folau is a powerful short burst runner which doesn't make him suited to cover the miles needed to provide a decent roving fullback defense. Highlander wrote a great article about the problems in this strategy. One of the key points illustrated was when the Kiwi forwards made a turnover, Kerr-Barlow was already on the scene, only a couple of steps away ready to start the counter-attack. An already in-position Ben Smith takes the offload and converts it into a 60m gain though a rag-tag defense. When the Wallabies make a turnover, there is no play maker anywhere useful. DHP is the closest runner. While the Wallabies are getting players into position, the opposition are re-aligning their defense, valuable seconds ticking away, The 2 players best suited to capitalize are too far out of position to be of any use. The plan is bad. Either Folau's defense is as fantastic as his fan club claims and he should play 13. Or it isn't, and he should either play 14 swapping with TK in attack or he should get off the field. Either way, leave the number 15 jersey to the professionals. There are just too many moving parts in the current arrangement for it to work effectively.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Paul D - I do not believe Cheika chose Robertson because he is a better scrumager. IMO he selected him because he is more mobile than Smith and is a better ball carrier. He thinks his scrumaging is good enough.
PeterK
Roar Guru
interesting comparison as wingers. Hodge is a better defender and tackler. Hodge is faster Hodge kicks further DHP is better under the high ball DHP is more elusive, runs better in traffic DHP kicks better under pressure DHP is a better catcher Neither are good at passing nor offloads.
kickedmyheight
Roar Pro
I have seen nothing this season to suggest that.