Michael Cheika has named a new-look prop pairing for the second Bledisloe Cup game at Eden Park this weekend, with Scott Sio and Allan Alaalatoa to start in the front row against the All Blacks.
After the Wallabies’ scrum and lineout struggled considerably in Bledisloe 1, Cheika has recalled Sio to the side, after the prop missed the encounter with a shoulder injury, while Alaalatoa has been promoted from his bench role in Game 1.
Last week’s starting pair, Sekope Kepu and Tom Robertson, have both been moved to the bench, while Jerome Ainsley has dropped out of the side entirely.
While Sio has overcome injury to line up in Game 2, Taniela Tupou has had no such luck. The barnstorming prop was a late withdrawal last Saturday with a hamstring injury and has not been named in the squad for Eden Park.
Also missing through injury is Israel Folau, who hobbled off ANZ Stadium midway through the second half last week with an ankle injury. In addition to the reshuffle up front, Dane Haylett-Petty will slot into fullback for Folau, with Jack Maddocks taking the vacant starting spot on the wing after earning his first Test cap in Bledisloe 1.
Tatafu Polota-Nau has kept his spot as starting hooker despite the Wallabies’ woeful lineout performance in Sydney, but back-up Tolu Latu has been dropped. Folau Faingaa will make his debut off the bench in the no.16 jersey in Latu’s place.
Hooker Faingaa is one of two uncapped reserves, with his ACT Brumbies teammate Tom Banks also in line for a first appearance for Australia after being named in the no.23 jersey.
The remainder of the side is unchanged. Izack Rodda and Adam Coleman will lock the scrum, and Cheika has persisted with the same back row of Lukhan Tui at 6, captain Michael Hooper at 7 and David Pocock at 8.
All of Will Genia, Bernard Foley, Kurtley Beale, Reece Hodge and Marika Koroibete have retained their places in the backline, as have Nick Phipps and Matt Toomua on the bench.
Rob Simmons and Pete Samu are the other reserves.
1. Scott Sio (46 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (83 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (24 Tests)
4. Izack Rodda (8 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (24 Tests)
6. Lukhan Tui (8 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (83 Tests)
8. David Pocock (70 Tests)
9. Will Genia (91 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (59 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (12 Tests)
12. Kurtley Beale (75 Tests)
13. Reece Hodge (28 Tests)
14. Jack Maddocks (1 Test)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (22 Tests)
Bench
16. Folau Faingaa*
17. Tom Robertson (22 Tests)
18. Sekope Kepu (95 Tests)
19. Rob Simmons (86 Tests)
20. Pete Samu (4 Tests)
21. Nick Phipps (65 Tests)
22. Matt Toomua (34 Tests)
23. Tom Banks*
*denotes uncapped
Earlier, Steve Hansen made just two injury-enforced changes to the All Blacks’ Bledisloe Cup team, bringing Jordie Barrett and Ngani Laumape into the run-on side in place of Reiko Ioane (hamstring) and Ryan Crotty (concussion).
Ben Smith has shifted from fullback to the wing to accommodate Barrett, while Laumape’s inclusion means Anton Lienert-Brown stays on the bench. The rest of the New Zealand side has remained unchanged.
Bledisloe 2 will kick-off at 5:35pm (AEST) this Saturday at Auckland’s Eden Park, with the third trans-Tasman Test not scheduled until October.
TERRY
Guest
I am not a fan of these changes. The scrum only struggled because of Peyper's interpretation/expectation ..... some of his calls were plain wrong. I cannot see Sio and Alallatoa doing better. In the backs I would have started both Banks and Maddocks and dropped DHP ..... no Folau so go for a different attacking spark.
Markus
Guest
Alaalatoa was injured for the whole June series, albeit that he was pencilled to play LH at the time. And while he may have dropped to 3rd pick TH following Tupou's strong improvement, I never considered him so far behind Tupou and Kepu for their selections to be unchallenged, especially if either experienced a drop in form as it appears Kepu may have.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Well finally our best Fullback actually gets to play at 15. Now we need is an injury to Hooper so our best 7 can play 7 and an actual No 8 can be included in the side.
Phil
Guest
stillmissit,I just think it shows there is also a big gap between Ireland and the All Blacks too.We were quite competitive with their scrums and lineouts.
Reality Check
Guest
Liam is a Queenslander and he would been competition for Hooper, and Cheika wouldn`t stand for that.
Reality Check
Guest
True, they care more about winning the GPS Rugby premiership than producing Wallabies. Good on them.It`s their business and product. The Wallabies are totally meaningless and irrelevant to them.
Gunslinger
Guest
Scott Sio's first test back from a shoulder injury is against the All Black front row? Works for me.
Gunslinger
Guest
Why no punishment for Alaalatoa's late forearm to Barrett's face, after he had kicked the ball (68th minute).
stillmissit
Roar Guru
Noodles: "don’t agree on the breakdown" - WHY? Is Pocock going to take on superhuman characteristics? The BD has been lousy for years. How often do you see Pocock on his own with no clean out to help him? Watch what the AB's and SA do to protect their poachers. Lose he BD lose the game. Not 100% but close enough..
stillmissit
Roar Guru
DH that is why I had them at a 15 point loss, as time goes on I ain't so sure. This is a very good AB side and we seem to be losing our Mojo.....
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
Probably the best communicator and well worth his place in the top tier. But the ref debate is probably the most divisive of all.
Good Game
Guest
He's improved DH but still not too tier IMO.
Old One Eye
Guest
He didn’t want Liam Gill
Watcher
Guest
Aumua as well. Jusr srated with Wellinton from the bench.
ozinsa
Guest
I think exactly the same argument for Banks’ inclusion is relevant for DHP. Let’s give him a shot at his best position and see how he goes.
Ozinsa
Guest
Terrence, I’m not sure what that feeling is but there isn’t a better 10 playing in an Australian SR side than the one picked to start this weekend. I’m not suggesting Foley is a great 10 but he’s our best by some margin for the moment.
ozinsa
Guest
All very good questions Fionn. No answers here. What annoyed me with these changes was the accompanying commentary. Kepu needs to train harder; Robinson has a technical fault; Latu carries the can for the lineout woes. It’s a professional setup and players must be held to standards but why they were dropped seems to me something discussed personally and the message to press is that we’re building depth. What happened to us all succeeding or failing together?
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Sheek, we must have been on the same sports of like. Me a boy from Toowoomba travelling to Burleigh Heads (hitching) when I was 15/16 and got my Bronze. Played Rugby League back then in winter and the SLLC in summer. Travel was 180 km one way hitching. Went to Uni in 1968, played Rugby Union - lock or No. 8 or in those days 2nd Row and Lock - No. 8. For 2 seasons rowed boats - travelled to Brisbane (12o km) 1 night a week on the river and then also Friday night and then trained on weekends. Ended up in hospital, went under the boat on a big one and got dumped near the shore, boat on top of the knee - ligaments gone. But for the boats was fit from winter Rugby and for Rugby was fit from rowing. SLLC started in 1966/67 A long time ago!!
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
Brains might be in mode - but it is not on Rugby. Few of the Wallabies have very good Rugby Smarts and Rugby Judgement. Top 2" is missing!!
Cliff Bishkek
Roar Rookie
And their lifting is all wrong - a picture told 1000 words in an article this week. They are grabbing the jumper too high and so removing all advantage of reach and height.