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Wallabies CONFIRMED: Kellaway and Ikitau OUT, Petaia at 15, Frost set for debut, Taniela returns, Suli kept waiting

7th July, 2022
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7th July, 2022
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Dave Rennie has lost his two preferred fullbacks ahead of the second Test, with Andrew Kellaway injured in training and ruled out of the match at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Jordan Petaia was named in the No.15 jersey for the first time at Test level when Rennie announced his 23 on Thursday. The coach resisted taking a punt on high profile rugby league convert Suliasi Vunivalu however, opting to bring Tom Wright onto the wing and Izaia Perese onto the bench.

There was a big change at No.13 with Hunter Paisami replacing Len Ikitau.

Rennie said Ikitau suffered calf soreness in the opening match of the series.

“He hasn’t come right,” said Rennie. “He tried to run this morning. He’s really close but we didn’t want to risk anything and confident he’ll be right for next week.”

One bright spark amidst the injury gloom for Rennie was the naming of Taniela Tupou, a welcome addition after two months on the sideline with Allan Alaalatoa missing due to his concussion in Perth.

Brumbies lock Nick Frost, who walked out of a contract in Japan in a bid to play for the Wallabies, has had that decision justified and is on line for debut off the bench following Darcy Swain’s suspension.

Kellaway has a hamstring injury and Rennie ruled him out for the third Test as well. Rennie already lost Quade Cooper to the calf injury that kept him out of the first Test and his first choice fullback Tom Banks to a broken arm in the gutsy 30-28 win in Perth.

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Banks is out for months and Cooper is unlikely to play again until after the England Tests. Rennie is likely to be boosted by the return of Taniela Tupou – a welcome relief with Allan Alaalatoa ruled out due to the concussion suffered last weekend.

UK writer Mick Cleary joins The Roar Rugby Podcast to talk about expectations for this week and the pressure facing Eddie Jones

Kellaway was moved to fullback in Perth with Petaia coming onto the wing after Banks’ agonising departure and the pair combined superbly for a decisive try to the Queenslander.

Rennie will have every confidence in Petaia to fulfill the role – having argued long and hard that he wanted to see him used at No.15 by Brad Thorn at the Reds – but Kellaway’s absence left the coach with a massive call as he mulled the make-up of his starting team and bench.

It seemed a crucial moment in the international career of Suliasi Vunivalu, the rugby league convert who Rennie has kept in camp instead of sending to Fiji with Australia A.

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Andrew Kellaway of Austalia is seen during a Wallabies training session at Peffermill Sports Fields on November 03, 2021 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Andrew Kellaway. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Vunivalu’s lack of a kicking game is likely why Rennie opted for Wright, who has also played minutes at No.15 this year.

Vunivalu has a short learning curve into the World Cup and his hopes of a debut could now rest on the Rugby Championship games, perhaps in Argentina.

“It’s not so much about capping Suli,” Rennie said when he named the former Melbourne Storm star in his 35-man squad.

“We’ve picked him because he has massive potential, we think we can accelerate his development within the camp rather than leaving him outside of that.

“He’s had his troubles with injury, we’ve seen glimpses of real quality and we’re just keen to get our hands on him and accelerate that.”

Suliasi Vunivalu poses for a photo before an Australian Wallabies training session on June 21, 2022 in Sunshine Coast, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Suliasi Vunivalu poses for a photo before an Australian Wallabies training session. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

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On Thursday Rennie said of Vunivalu: “He’s starting to make really good steps. his job is to keep putting pressure on. Izzy gives a bit more cover at centre and wing and with Tom Wright on the field we have depth around 15.” He said he had no doubt Vunivalu would eventually break through.

Rennie is losing fullbacks at the same rate Spinal Tap lost drummers. Kurtley Beale is two months away from being fit enough for consideration.

Beale was full of praise for Kellaway’s performance in Perth.

“No doubt, Kellaway stepped up,” Beale said this week. “I thought he did brilliantly. I think those couple of classy touches, that try for Jordy, those hands were very silky. He’s been in and around the group, he’s steady and he’s succeeding but I’ll be doing everything I can to create an environment and the competition to make it better.

“Like a lot of the other guys who have come in, they’ve set the bar high and that’s how we want it, we want to keep pushing ourselves to be the best because we’re playing the best – the Springboks, All Blacks and we’ve got a big task ahead with England on the weekend.”

Tupou’s return is one of seven changes to the matchday 23 with Frost in line for a Test debut, named as lock cover.

Tupou is joined up front by last week’s debutant David Porecki and loosehead prop Angus Bell, who plays his 18th Test at just 21 years of age. 

Matt Philip comes into the starting second row and will partner Cadeyrn Neville after Swain was suspended for two weeks following his red card in Perth. 

The backrow remains unchanged, with Leota and Rob Valetini at blindside flanker and number eight with Michael Hooper at No.7.

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Noah Lolesio retains the number 10 jersey after a composed performance in the opening Test last weekend and will again partner Brumbies teammate Nic White in the halves while Jake Gordon stays on the bench ahead of Tate McDermott.

Rennie said in a statement: “It’s great to have Taniela back this week and he’s extremely excited to pull on the gold jersey in his hometown.

“Equally Jordy is looking forward to the opportunity at fullback and of course it will be a proud night for Nick and his family for his Test debut.

“We will proudly be wearing the First Nations jersey and singing the national anthem in Yugambeh language on Saturday night as we pay our respect to Uncle Lloyd McDermott and the First Nations people of this country.”

Meanwhile, there have been questions raised over the ability of Rennie to bring in a third overseas player to replace Cooper as one of the three allowed OS options.

A Wallabies spokesman told The Roar that the situation was fluid – suggesting there is no rule preventing a fourth call up for the series – but added it wasn’t at all likely an overseas player (such as Rory Arnold or Will Skelton) would be brought in as cover with just the third Test to play after this weekend.

Wallabies team to play England at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday 9 July, 7:55pm AEST
1. Angus Bell (17 Tests)
2. David Porecki (1 Test)
3. Taniela Tupou (38 Tests)
4. Matt Philip (21 Tests)
5. Cadeyrn Neville (1 Test)
6. Rob Leota (7 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (119 Tests)
8. Rob Valetini (19 Tests)
9. Nic White (48 Tests)
10. Noah Lolesio (10 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (43 Tests)
12. Samu Kerevi (39 Tests)
13. Hunter Paisami (15 Tests)
14. Tom Wright (10 Tests)
15. Jordan Petaia (17 Tests)
Replacements
16. Folau Fainga’a (26 Tests)
17. Scott Sio (70 Tests)
18. James Slipper (115 Tests)
19. Nick Frost*
20. Pete Samu (20 Tests)
21. Jake Gordon (11 Tests)
22. James O’Connor (62 Tests)
23. Izaia Perese (2 Tests)
*denotes uncapped

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