Having lost one injury prone, experienced playmaker in Quade Cooper last week, Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has opted for another in choosing James O’Connor to start at No.10 over Noah Lolesio for the second Test against Argentina on Sunday.
Cooper’s Achilles injury has opened the door for someone to make the position their own over the next 12 months, and the 32-year-old O’Connor gets first shot.
Rennie will explain his decisions later Friday but it’s thought that he might have been concerned with playing Lolesio alongside inexperienced No.12 Lalakai Foketi, making his first start in just his second Test.
The Waratahs centre impressed in the Australia A matches in Fiji last month, and replaced Hunter Paisami who reportedly suffered a head knock and faced a mandatory stand down. Paisami himself had come into the side following Samu Kerevi’s ACL injury.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)
Reece Hodge, who took over the reins from Cooper after 48 minutes of Australia’s 41-26 win in Mendoza, is on the bench as Rennie changed tack from a 6-2 split to a 5-3 combination.
With Allan Alaalatoa having left Argentina due to a family bereavement, Pone Fa’amausili takes a place on the bench and is the only potential debutant in the 23.
Irae Simone is in line for a third Test but is likely a short term option after leaving the Brumbies and will need to be one of three overseas based players in future if he’s to add to the tally significantly.
Rennie is also seemingly no closer to settling on a back up scrum half with Tate McDermott coming in to replace Jake Gordon, who was in the squad last weekend.
Rory Arnold, who missed the opening game of the tour with a calf injury, is fit to start but there is no place in the 23 for Matt Philip with Nick Frost on the bench as cover for Arnold and Darcy Swain.
Lolesio started all three Tests against England after Cooper’s injury just before the start of game one, and he’s likely to be disappointed not to slot straight back in. It is a similar situation to last season where he started against France only to lose his place when Cooper came back.
O’Connor came on in the Brisbane Test against England and performed poorly.
Among his tale of woe that night was one kick for touch that flew wildly out when he was confronted with open space in front of him.
“James O’Connor was stinking up the joint,” said The Roar expert Harry Jones in a post-game podcast. “He made four or five critical errors at a point where the Wallabies had dragged themselves, against all the odds, back into the match and every single decision he made seemed to be the wrong one.”
He lost his place on the bench for the next two Tests but has had some competitive action since then – albeit it a half with Brisbane club team Brothers.
But O’Connor is hardly made of iron. He missed the end of the Queensland Reds season with a hamstring strain having just come back from a knee injury.
Rennie’s squad has been battered by injury and misfortune, with a staggering 16 potential Wallabies currently parked in the casualty ward.
Former Wallabies No.9 Will Genia voiced concerns over JOC’s long term fitness this week when he wrote that he would opt for Lolesio as Cooper’s replacement.
“I’m not privy to training and the conversations that go on, but I would pick and stick with Noah,” Genia wrote.
“He had a really good Super Rugby season where he took the Brumbies to the semi-final. He makes sense in the short term as well as the long term.
“They might see Hodgey as a long-term fix. If so, then go for him and put Noah on the bench.
“Same with James O’Connor, although James is probably struggling in terms of his performances being up and down and, from all reports, he’s struggling with his body, and it’s breaking down a little bit.
“When I think about all those things put together, I like the idea of Noah getting picked and them making it clear what the expectations of him are.”
The No.10 is clearly a problematic role for Rennie and there have been reports that Japan-based veteran Bernard Foley will be joining the camp when the Wallabies return home.
Fa’amausili is set for a long-awaited debut having been in the squad for more than two years but having endured a shocking run with calf injuries. He missed all of last season and saw the muscle specialist who was able to get David Pocock to the 2019 World Cup.
The Rebels prop had been expected to debut on last year’s Spring Tour before another setback. He says he’s had 13 calf injuries in different muscles across both legs.
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said in a statement: “After a tough, physical game last week it’s great to be able to call on the experience of guys like James and Rory and also see the team’s excitement for La and Irae who get to wear the Wallaby gold again on Saturday.”
“It’s going to be a proud occasion for Pone and his family and it’s a testament to him for the hard work and obstacles he’s had to overcome to earn his first Test cap.
“Argentina and their supporters will be expecting a response this weekend and we’ll need to increase our physicality and accuracy to get another positive result in San Juan.”
Wallabies team to play Argentina at the Estadio del Bicentenario, San Juan on Sunday, August 14, 5:10am AEST
1. James Slipper (c) (118 Tests)
2. Folau Fainga’a (29 Tests)
3. Taniela Tupou (41 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (29 Tests)
5. Darcy Swain (12 Tests)
6. Jed Holloway (1 Test)
7. Fraser McReight (3 Tests)
8. Rob Valetini (22 Tests)
9. Nic White (51 Tests)
10. James O’Connor (63 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (46 Tests)
12. Lalakai Foketi (1 Test)
13. Len Ikitau (16 Tests)
14. Jordan Petaia (19 Tests)
15. Tom Wright (13 Tests)
Replacements
16. Lachlan Lonergan (5 Tests)
17. Matt Gibbon (1 Test)
18. Pone Fa’amausili*
19. Nick Frost (3 Tests)
20. Pete Samu (23 Tests)
21. Tate McDermott (16 Tests)
22. Irae Simone (2 Tests)
23. Reece Hodge (56 Tests)
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Viking
Roar Rookie
haha fair call, he certainly has the skillset, can run, pass, and kick. I'm not sure he has the composure or selflessness of a great 10. Could happen though!
Neil c
Guest
O'Connor at 10, the game is lost. He is a mistake a thon. I wouldn't have him in the squad. I would imagine this is his last chance, at least it should be. Hodge should have got a start after a great game from him last week, disappointing and probably unfair. I hope I'm wrong and O'Connor is man of the match.
Nobody
Roar Rookie
True, Gits was more of a playmaker, whereas Foley was more of a running 10.
Looking for clues
Guest
I cannot understand why the Wallabies are so injury prone, compared to other national sides, especially given that many injuries happen in training/warm ups. Seems to me the folks in charge of conditioning, match prep, and injury management need to be looked at very closely over this. Fainga'a's concussion in training, for example, indicates some pretty poor player management. The Wallabies have completed a whole Super Rugby season plus a number of tests so I don't understand why 100% contact in training is necessary, particularly at a time when there are already so many injuries. If they aren't match fit by now they never will be!
Objective Observer
Roar Rookie
You must have missed the series against England. White had his best game in a while last week when he put away his very ordinary box kick but his delivery remains slow and inaccurate. As to a back up 9, neither are getting any real game time so we are relying on old and ordinary.
Leroy14
Roar Rookie
If we are to bring back any veteran flyhalf I’d be choosing Giteau over Foley.
Barney
Roar Rookie
The other thing that stuck out to me on that break was Cooper’s top line speed. Was it just me or was he really motoring?
pm
Roar Rookie
Good question. Hodge maybe?
West Aussie Exile
Roar Rookie
JOC is definitely fortunate to play after the worst 15 minutes I have seen from a Wallaby in his last outing that was one of the main contributors to the test loss and series defeat -nevertheless, I think he can have a good game against the argies and we can win. doesn't solve the debate about number 10 -I agree that Donaldson needs to be added to the squad, possibly Edmed also, although a long shot from my view. I am excited to see Arnold and expect a big game. I think we win the game, get out of town quickly, then have a fresh look at who's standing for the rest of the RC - and get some continuity of selection and cohesion for those 4 games.
Nobody
Roar Rookie
Anyone watching Foley play in Japan’s League One will notice he runs slower than an old lady crossing the road (no offence to the old lady).
ozziedude
Roar Rookie
Nope i would much rather any of the younger #10s to be there in place of JOC, preferably eased in off the bench v Arg, as i agree starting against the Boks or Nz would be too much as Pat Howard once proved.
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
I thought he was a great selection, until I saw that mo.
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
After this game he may be the best we've got.
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
Quade tried to do too much last week. He was itching to play well to prove himself after that injury. O'Connor is a real guts man; let's hope he does not do the same. He should be passing the ball and wrapping around to be the extra man. Most of the backs are good at out of hand kicks. The other backs are expendable.
Butch
Guest
I’m more hopeful of a good performance from JOC. Yes against England that appearance was a shocker but he has played many fine games and is very talented. He clearly can do much more than NL and will as DR obviously wants provide leadership, organisation in the backs and some smart go forward backline attack.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
JOC back in is underwhelming. He is well past his best. I don’t think Foketi is International standard. The rest of the team looks solid.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ but I will go with the Tah’s coach and say the ginger T.Edmed is the closest in Oz SR to the skills of QuadeC.” Thugby, I haven’t seen a resemblance with Quade but I have a hunch about Tane. And I agree, we need these kids mentored, drilled, worked over, scrutinised , put under skill and time pressure, and otherwise developed in all ways possible.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Franco, when I watch replay of Quade's breakdown I see a guy close to the line looking for a runner and the runner was not there. Is that what added the stress to his tendon?
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ very mixed and he is not the messiah.” Please name one person who has declared Quade “the messiah”. He’s just our best 10. And last weekend he took the field without our best running 12. But please pick your nits if you have too.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Foley “was so poor , worse than Lolesio, by 2019 that I can’t see that. Unlike qc who was always good and unfairly dropped (and never given a fair go by Cheika)” I wish I could like that comment more than once.