Christian Lealiifano will play his first Test match since 2016, having been named to start for the Wallabies at five-eighth against Argentina this weekend as Michael Cheika made a number of changes to his side.
Lealiifano missed last week’s clash with the Springboks due to injury but will make his international comeback against the Pumas more than three years after last wearing the gold jersey when he came off the bench against England. He was diagnosed with leukemia later that year.
The Brumbies playmaker replaces Bernard Foley in the number 10 jersey as one of ten changes Cheika has made – five each in the starters and reserves.
Kurtley Beale has been named in the starting XV at fullback in place of Tom Banks after a solid performance off the bench in Johannesburg, while James O’Connor is in line for his first Wallabies appearance since 2013, the utility back named on the bench.
Will Genia and Nic White have swapped roles, the former coming into the starting line-up for what will be his last appearance at his old Super Rugby home ground of Suncorp Stadium, while Marika Koroibete and the Scott Sio have come into the XV, replacing Dane Haylett-Petty and James Slipper respectively. Koroibete missed last week’s game to be at home with his family after the birth of his child, while Sio was unavailable due to injury.
Slipper will come from the bench against the Pumas, but there’s no place in the side for Haylett-Petty with O’Connor, White and Matt To’omua the reserve backs selected.
There were no changes to the back row of Michael Hooper, Isi Naisarani and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto despite the trio being able to make much of an impact around the breakdown against the Springboks, and the lock pairing of Izack Rodda and Rory Arnold has also remained unchanged.
Centres Samu Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani will once again start together with Reece Hodge on the wing.
Alongside Slipper, Tolu Latu and Luke Jones are the new forward-pack additions to the bench with Harry Johnson-Holmes, Jordan Uelese and Jack Dempsey dropping off, while Rob Simmons and Taniela Tupou have kept their places from last week.
1. Scott Sio (55 Tests)
2. Folau Fainga’a (8 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (104 Tests)
4. Izack Rodda (18 Tests)
5. Rory Arnold (20 Tests)
6. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (12 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (92 Tests)
8. Isi Naisarani (1 Test)
9. Will Genia (101 Tests)
10. Christian Lealiifano (19 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (20 Tests)
12. Samu Kerevi (vc) (26 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (59 Tests)
14. Reece Hodge (34 Tests)
15. Kurtley Beale (84 Tests)
Reserves
16. Tolu Latu (12 Tests)
17. James Slipper (87 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (12 Tests)
19. Rob Simmons (95 Tests)
20. Luke Jones (3 Tests)
21. Nic White (23 Tests)
22. Matt To’omua (43 Tests)
23. James O’Connor (44 Tests)
The Wallabies’ second Rugby Championship match of the year against the Pumas will kick off at 7:45pm (AEST) on Saturday in Brisbane, and you’ll be able to keep up with all the action right here on The Roar.
Chukling
Guest
Hodge has to go. He’s a watcher
Joseph
Guest
Experimental? You have got to be kidding. Cheika is desperate for a win and went all out last week to get a good result. He is now clutching and even more desperate...Cheika is hopeless..
Hedley Lamarr
Guest
The Wallabies do not have a good track record in terms of conceding penalties and yellow cards. Cut the rubbish out and with a home ground advantage should drag out a win. That said, the Argies will be in overdrive from start to finish.
numpty
Roar Rookie
Kerevi is our best attacking back - it would be ludicrous to shoehorn him into a position he has barely played all year to bring in a less good player (shades of Pocock at 8 anyone?). Also, SK's defense is no good in the 13 channel. Agree TK's attack hasn't been explosive, but his defense is always solid. Together, TK and SK provide a good foil for each other. I see JOC as a quality replacement for Kerevi which we were short of. If Cheika got JOC back a year earlier we would know if he or Kerevi were a better fit at 12 in the team. Alas we do not have the time.
Rugby Geek
Roar Rookie
geoff, Understand the point but the old saying goes beggars can't be choosers! atm we need as much as possible/ Especially when the boks and the argies are loose on this topic and I think we should be as well. In order to keep the locals happy in the WB cause you only offer them a short term performance package ie train on squad and game payments. So the RA contracts are only on offer for the local SR AND CLUB PLAYERS!
Rugby Geek
Roar Rookie
numpty issue is I like SK at 12 but he plays a good 13 as well. JOC is really a 12 that can run 10 or 15(slow) TK has not reached his Personal best levels for awhile now. Looking for a good reason for this? But still looking.....
Bourkos
Roar Rookie
I think that's part of the design. In the case of low contact/ impact concussion medicos can make the decision to make player available for the following weekend.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
I always assume you are Riddler (and state my opinion anyway)
Ralph
Roar Guru
Well you do need a top tactical kicking game and a dominant lineout for that plan to work.
Tony Hodges
Roar Rookie
True, and I’m not sure he’d be good, but he should be in the mix if want we want is a range of players who we can pick if we want to change the approach to play.
Pogo
Roar Rookie
please all this talk below about adding more forwards from Waratahs and Beale, the 'tahs collectively had a shocker of a season, and that reflects on the individuals who made up the team.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
https://www.theroar.com.au/2019/07/25/no-creevy-for-pumas-as-they-make-five-changes-for-wallabies-test/
jeznez
Roar Guru
Hopefully someone else takes up the challenge.
numpty
Roar Rookie
We actually have pretty good 2nd row stocks and he would influence other selections as he isn't a jumper. I think we need Fardy more, our back row is still struggling to find balance.
numpty
Roar Rookie
I'm going to just stick to the forwards, I agree we needed at least one specialist winger, Speight was my preference. Half of your issues were players in due to injury (Kepu, Slipper) so that's moot. Second, you still haven't named any replacements that are banging the door down for selection. Slipper was best fwd around the ground on the night for the WBs and has been the best prop this season along with Sio so he deserves to be there. Same with Faingaa, no one has out performed him. I would've liked to see Mafi given a run. Isi was picked as a ball runner, he was the best ball runner all season, and was our best fwd ball runner on the night, so justified. If he tidies up his silly defensive reads, which shouldn't be hard, I think he will grow into the role. My problem was no on-ball presence, but this was a tactic by Cheika so it rests with him. Brumbies, who make up most of the forwards were good at this all season so don't see why our pack can't perform like that now, they just need to be told too. I would like to see one more player in the team that can make a nuisance of opposition rucks, McAffrey for instance.
aiden
Guest
Good. Except Toomua for Foley and Hodge for DHP.
Jonesy
Guest
That’s convenient...
Jonesy
Guest
His form was poor in the last few rebels matches. Not sure he’s the savior people are looking for right now. CLL and Foley deserve a go first.
2ndrowfwd
Guest
Totally agree as well. I'm so sick of the unnecessary spite that comes Foley's way. It is impossible for any 10 to do his job at any level if he is not protected or given any time (often with an offside opposition) by his forwards. I think Foley and Lilo are on par with each other but offer different things. Cheik has a very clear style which is being challenged a bit by the selector panel and that's great - I'm just pleased to see there is another option - but there's no reason for the rabid anti-Foley / anti-Waratah club to enjoy this change too much - it's "horses for courses" and the selectors need to confirm exactly how different the offerings of the two players are in a test cauldron.
christian fincke
Guest
Vot are you sinking about?