Dave Rennie has resisted the temptation to name an unchanged side for Bledisloe 2, instead making four changes to his Wallabies team for the Eden Park clash on Sunday.
Ned Hanigan is a shock inclusion to the squad, coming straight into the starting team for Pete Samu, who has been dropped. Hanigan hasn’t played Test rugby since late 2018 and was used as a lock during the Waratahs’ Super Rugby campaign, but has been named in the back row at blindside flanker alongside captain Michael Hooper at openside and Harry Wilson at number eight.
Folau Fainga’a has, like Samu, been dropped from the starting side out of the matchday squad altogether. The hooker had a wayward first half in Wellington, losing three lineouts and fumbling the ball which almost gifted the All Blacks a try right on halftime. He’s been replaced at no.2 by Brandon Paenga-Amosa, who is one of three Reds brought into the side.
Queensland captain Liam Wright has taken Rob Valtini’s place on the bench, and while Hunter Paisami has retained the no.13 jersey, Jordan Petaia will make his return from a hip flexor injury amongst the reserves. Noah Lolesio, who was an unused substitute last week, has dropped out of the side.
Petaia’s selection on the bench is the only change amongst the backs in the entire matchday squad, with the run-on backline remaining the same after a strong outing in Wellington and Jake Gordon staying ahead of Tate McDermott in the reserve scrumhalf pecking order.
Similarly, the backup front-row of Jordan Uelese, Allan Alaalatoa and Scott Sio remains unchanged, as does the starting prop pairing of James Slipper and Taniela Tupou, and each of the locks used last week – Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Matt Philip starting, and Rob Simmons on the bench – have kept their places as well.
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Wallabies team for Bledisloe 2
1. James Slipper
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa
3. Taniela Tupou
4. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto
5. Matt Philip
6. Ned Hanigan
7. Michael Hooper (c)
8. Harry Wilson
9. Nic White
10. James O’Connor
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Matt To’omua
13. Hunter Paisami
14. Filipo Daugunu
15. Tom Banks
Bench
16. Jordan Uelese
17. Scott Sio
18. Allan Alaalaota
19. Rob Simmons
20. Liam Wright
21. Jake Gordon
22. Jordan Petaia
23. Reece Hodge
Rat
Roar Rookie
Stop it you are killin me :laughing: Wbeez got what they deserved.Ned on for 80 mins and with Simmo at the end....energy level zero. Lets hope the Coach isnt so proud that he cant cut both of them immediately.And get rid of Gordon for Taity!
Bobbles
Guest
Hanigan is neither Peterk.
William Bruce
Roar Rookie
Hannigan has all the skill. Not picked recently because growing and maturing. Superb catch and pass and in the air like V Matfield.
William Bruce
Roar Rookie
Correct 1/2 could do it and run around to receive????????
William Bruce
Roar Rookie
Ned Hannigan will be very good. Both our locks are great at pace in the carry and tight second phase work. This is a young pack only better if Wright gets on at open side. The Cushion at reserve lock has done well at the Tahs. Potato off the bench can peel off tries in the last 10.
Unders
Roar Pro
Wonder if Fainga'a thinks he's in the top 6 best hookers in Aussie rugby like Khawaja says he's in the best 6 batsmen for Australia. Seriously speaking and on a tangent, Khawaja has to be there with Finch, Smith, Marnus, Warner and Maxwell as Australia's best 6 batsmen??
Olly
Roar Rookie
BPA has been brought on to strengthen on the ball as this is one of his strengths. As I have been saying, I would have dropped Wilson and Kept Samu as he is a lineout option, very good def lineout at 2 and does the hard yards in tight.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Please read up. No problem with Hanigan, but would keep Samu over Wilson.
Fair Dinkum
Roar Rookie
So we weaken our breakdown capability and bring in Hannigan to win a line out or 2! Doesn’t make sense when Rennie said we struggled at the break down. Hooper is not effective at the break down either. consistently inaccurate / consistently misses his man in contact and is not a line out option. I can see the wallabies getting slow messy ball and the media will slam Nic White and James O’Connor.
bennalong
Roar Rookie
He called lineouts when Simmons went off. He's not slow and he's consistently played 80.
bennalong
Roar Rookie
Poor at the start, flogged both the Reds and the Brumbies in the second half of that comp. Started with new coach and more newbies than the Wallabies.
bennalong
Roar Rookie
Samu is only 185 and 104kg. Hanigan is 194 and 110kg. Give him a go. Give Rennie a go!
bennalong
Roar Rookie
He didn't play Wallabies in 2019. He's 110 kg now. In 2017 he was 104kg. Give him ago
bennalong
Roar Rookie
He's been great this year. He'll do well.
tsuru
Roar Rookie
RahRah, apropos your statement “ Those expressed around Hannigan are well founded in a history of poor and ineffective test performance.” Can I assume that you are saying that Rennie should pick his team on reputation from 2018-19 rather than form in 2020?
Rat
Roar Rookie
Advocate....no one who knows anything about Rugby could be!Hes a lock if anything (and not an international one). At 6 ,where he cant play at all...and we have already seen him try...thats why he is in the second row. And as for an 80 mins player,,,,he trips over his own feet after 5 mins! This is a bad sign,,,shades of the Clown thinking :unhappy:
Olly
Roar Rookie
I see is more as a throw problem then a jumper problems so it does not matter who is in the locks for the AB. Just need to be in the air and the ball has a good chance of being thrown directly to you..
VO
Roar Rookie
Now we have to nuffies in the squad, Simmons and Hanigan
Tony H
Roar Pro
Great summary jez
Kiwiburger
Guest
That judo throw was just raw athleticism. Funniest thing I've seen on a rugby pitch. I like coles but I am concerned his best years are behind him yet he keeps getting selected because no hookers are standing up. Aumua reminds me of early Tupou, plenty of hype playing against developing boys, gutless versus men. Hopefully he comes right in the next year or two.