Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has made just three changes to the side which was comprehensively beaten 54-34 by the All Blacks in the opening Bledisloe match in Sydney.
After making his debut, Curtis Rona has been moved to the bench to be replaced by Dane Haylett-Petty who has overcome a biceps injury.
Tevita Kuridrani moves to outside centre and will start the match with Samu Kerevi left out.
Rob Simmons moves into the second row in the only other change.
After being dropped twice last year the Simmons selection has surprised many and Cheika referenced it in today’s press conference.
“It’s an opportunity for Simmons to put his foot down now,” Cheika said.
“He’s having a change in his own career now … and I think it’s time he puts a marker down for his international career as well in dominating that lock position.
“Saturday is the day to show that. He knows that as well. It’s not anything I wouldn’t say to him directly either. Saturday is the day for him to show up and say, ‘yeah, this is what I can do.’”
The bench is yet to be confirmed.
The Wallabies will have their work cut out to win in Dunedin. The last time the Wallabies have won in the city was back in 2001.
1. Scott Sio (33 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (121 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (13 Tests)
4. Rob Simmons (72 Tests)
5. Rory Arnold (13 Tests)
6. Ned Hanigan (4 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (69 Tests)
8. Sean McMahon (16 Tests)
9. Will Genia (79 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (46 Tests)
11. Henry Speight (13 Tests)
12. Kurtley Beale (61 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (48 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (17 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (56 Tests)
Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (72 Tests)
17. Tom Robertson (10 Tests)
18. Sekope Kepu (81 Tests)
19. Izack Rodda (0 Tests)
20. Lopeti Timani (8 Tests)/Jack Dempsey (1 Test)
21. Nick Phipps (53 Tests)
22. Reece Hodge (14 Tests)
23. Curtis Rona (1 Test)
Bruce
Guest
Same side?? Must be a better number 9 in Aus? Pity!
kombiutedriver
Guest
Doesn't play for the Tahs.
Ziusudra
Guest
How can you list great centre partnerships and leave out the best of the lot? Charvet & Sella That is all
piru
Roar Rookie
I can see Coleman contesting for an AB bench spot and TPN backing up Coles. Somewhere out there in the ITM cup – playing well – is a Hanigan clone. Not getting a run in the AB squad. well put
Akari
Roar Rookie
Unless you are present at the board meetings, you don't know whether John Eales is a ” yes man” who’s only agenda is self serving , Mike. Once a decision is made, I trust that JE is bound by that decision. If you'd rather that he resigns from the ARU board, you'll need to make a case. Pulver and Clyne led the call for the culling of the Force, sheek. Pulver has taken the easy way out by sacking himself. Clyne must know that he has to go too.
MitchO
Guest
Jeffrey. I think Alan A, Sio, TPN and even Hooper would push for spots in the AB 23. Also I think Folau and KB would be fighting for the same spot. Does'nt mean any of those guys would get in but one of Alan A and Kepu would get in and TPN would be a good back to Coles. Don't see any team wanting to take Coles off though and whilst you'd have a good look at Hooper, once you had decided to start Cane over Ardie then you'd have Ardie as your bench man. Shows how clever we are. The ABs can afford to "carry" Hooper but instead they choose to park their Hooper (Ardie) on the bench and play Cane. We should of course start our Cane (Pocock who is better than Cane) and leave our Hooper on the bench. The ABS have Retallick and Whitelock and sitll have this strange obsession with having a strong forward pack. So they pick Kaino and Cane to back up the heavy division instead of going the luxury of someone prettier. Somewhere out there in the ITM cup - playing well - is a Hanigan clone. Not getting a run in the AB squad.
MitchO
Guest
You may have just said it Timbo. Simmons is a big "S".
Suzy Poison
Guest
Well it's a bit of a "grey" area?
Jeffrey
Guest
The delusion of the wallaby players is truly laughable.. I think only Folau, Coleman and Kepu would be contenders to make the AB 23. And I would personally rather have Patrick Tuipolotu off the bench than Coleman to be honest. So that's potentially only 3 out of 23. How is that being close? The Boks on the other hand can say they are close as many of their players, especially their forwards are as good as their NZ counterparts, and they also have great depth. Ditto with England.
Mike
Guest
Gotta be the gayest back row ever
MitchO
Guest
Simmons will theoretically be a "better defender" than Arnold. He'll make more tackles just not dominant ones That is the theory. Personally I would keep Arnold and Coleman together to keep the pair together and of course tell Arnold that I want some dominant tackles. I do think that of the current locks Simmons has earned his spot as our number 3 lock. He's a good man for the bench. George M says Timani is injured. If so then why not pick a big body to replace a big body. Hanigan, Hooper and McMahon didn't have enough muscle last week. I don't expect them to have enough muscle this week. And instead of being beefed up with TPN we've beefed them up with the physicality of Simmons. Cheika seems to have amazingly little respect for guys with actually physicality. He likes talking about it but he hates selecting the hard guys.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
CUW, I tend to agree but when you are covering 12 and 13 against a side the NZ you iether need a giant "S" on the front of your shirt or better help.
JohnB
Guest
Maybe he's saying other people besides those actually responsible for winning the set pieces are figuring out that they're important and that you need to find, develop and pick people capable of winning them, rather than people who are good at other things and only ok at the core skills?
JohnB
Guest
Maybe they think neither of Coleman and Arnold can play more than 50 or 60 minutes and they want to rotate the 2 of them while Simmons plays 80. Maybe they think Coleman and Arnold don't tackle enough. They would be logical reasons for the selection - whether either way of thinking is correct is perhaps another matter. Has to be said, second row didn't seem to be the big problem last week.
Crash Ball2
Guest
It is only musical chairs for some players. For others it is rusted-on entitlement with zero accountability and unabashed accomodation. Cheik-style two speed economy.
Fionn
Guest
Jay-c he has been injured. If he wasn't up to the pace then Cheka shouldn't have selected him, simple as that, it IS Cheika's fault. Also, Cheik out Nick Bishop's latest article, dispels some of the myths about Kerevi. I'm not going to argue he played well – absolutely he did not – but has been unfairly scapegoated.
Crash Ball2
Guest
Which sits above the wine cellar, which crowns the second rumpus room, which adorns the bomb shelter...
jay-c
Guest
Kerevi plays the worst half he's ever played professionally and somehow that's cheikas fault ? Likely the best attacking 13 in the game... but he was woeful last week and had no one to blame but himself
Fionn
Guest
'On this at least we can agree.' Crash Ball, I think Cheika has managed to unite everyone in Australia on this particular one. Quite an achievement, actually. Do you think that was his plan, to unite all of Australia, even if against him? EJ, you are by far the most eloquent, reasonable and consistent defender of Cheika's regime and team. Although I don't even know if you could be considered a defender any longer, or just ambivalent? I don't agree with you on some things re. Cheika, but you're never unreasonable and don't move to twisting facts and just spouting blatant untruths like many ('Ned Hanigan is great', 'this team picks itself', etc). I always enjoy your contributions, whether I agree with them or not.
Crash Ball2
Guest
Bizarre to design a ride that peaks early and then continuously plunges straight down.