Exclusive: Four debutants, Suli to start, skipper in doubt - Eddie springs surprises for Boks opener

As many as four players are in line to make their debut for the Wallabies against the Springboks on Sunday (1:05am) in Pretoria, while Suliasi Vunivalu looks set to make a starting debut on the right-wing.

What’s more, Reece Hodge appears set to continue in the No.12 jersey with Samu Kerevi shaping as a replacement after coming back from a hamstring injury against a World XV side at Twickenham. While Taniela Tupou is unlikely to play, with Zane Nonggorr in line to make a remarkable debut.

There is concern too that James Slipper might not be fit after a training mishap.

All year intrigue has hung over the Wallabies with the selection rule book thrown out after Eddie Jones’ sensational return as Australian coach.

Jones, The Roar understands, hasn’t disappointed with selection curve balls and golden opportunities to impress provided in this rapid-fire Rugby Championship ahead of September’s World Cup.

Rising Brumbies forward Tom Hooper is set to make his debut for the Wallabies at blindside flanker. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Rising Brumbies utility forward Tom Hooper looks to be the biggest bolter of the lot.

The 22-year-old caught the eye of former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika last year on the eve of the finals with his high work-rate and ability to dent the line.

“He was tireless tonight, he did a lot of tight work,” Cheika said of Hooper. “I haven’t watched a lot of him but he is a real competitor, which I love.”

But a foot injury on the eve of this year’s Super Rugby competition slowed his progress, with the forward missing the opening 10 weeks of the competition.

While he got on the wrong side of the whistle too often when he returned, it didn’t take long for Hooper to be cooking with gas and his characteristics to catch Jones’ eye.

“He’s come from nowhere,” Jones said of Hooper at the Wallabies’ wider squad announcement last month.

“Combative, absolutely combative,” he added, when asked what he liked about the Brumbies forward, who wore the No.7 jersey during their semi-final defeat across the ditch.

“Chiefs game he’s taken them on, he’s in everything. Really good.”

Eddie Jones is set to start Tom Hooper, while also calling up Suliasi Vunivalu on the right-wing. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Hooper is expected to start alongside co-captain Michael Hooper and Rob Valetini in a well-balanced back-row that’ll try to move the Springboks’ big loose-trio of Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden around Loftus Versfeld.

Nic White and Quade Cooper are likely to feature in the halves, with the playmaker in line to play his first Test in South Africa since wearing the No.10 jersey during the Wallabies’ 18-10 defeat in Pretoria in 2016.

The other selection bombshell that looks on the cards is the return of Vunivalu, with the Queensland Reds winger set to be given a chance to make the No.14 jersey his own. It will be a huge test for the winger at altitude.

Vunivalu, who hasn’t been sighted since a brief two-minute cameo against England in Sydney, has divided the Australian rugby community with the two-time NRL premiership winner never quite hitting his straps since making the switch to rugby ahead of the 2021 season.

Work-rate and impact have been Vunivalu’s shortcomings, but Jones has always been curious about the former NRL’s match-winning ability. It’s why Jones brought a cattle prod to training in April.

Indeed, his tryscoring record is unrivalled in Queensland’s Super Rugby history with Vunivalu scoring 14 tries in 27 matches.

He isn’t the only Reds player set to make a stunning rise, with 22-year-old prop Nonggorr set to continue his meteoric rise and make his debut off the bench.

Zane Nonggorr is set to make his debut off the bench. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

While Tupou was included in Jones’ squad, it would have been a gigantic risk to rush him back to take on the Boks after only just recently returning to scrummaging after his devastating Achilles injury last November.

Although he engaged in full training earlier in the week, Tupou’s fitness levels aren’t yet where they need to be. It’s likely why Jones brought Tupou to South Africa with him, intent on keeping a close eye on his multi-million-dollar prop.

Rebels playmaker Gordon, meanwhile, looks set to be included as a replacement as part of a five forwards, three backs bench split with Hodge likely to cover fullback despite shaping to start at inside centre.

It’s believed Will Skelton will start alongside Nick Frost in the second-row, with Toulouse-based lock Richie Arnold shaping as another remarkable selection off the bench.

Hodge, who started on the wing against the Springboks in Pretoria in 2016, told reporters on Tuesday that he expected both teams to kick heavily in the Test and said connection would be important for the Wallabies to win their first Test at the venue.

“Very loud, very parochial. I remember last time in 2016 it was a full house in Pretoria and everyone’s cheering the Springboks on, so really just means that we got to connect as a group,” he said.

“We’re the only Aussies out there and make sure that as a squad of 23, and also an extended squad, we’re coming together to do whatever we can to combat what’s probably going to be a pretty tough atmosphere to play in front.

“To have the chance to go to Pretoria and hopefully get a win is something that excites the whole squad.”

Reece Hodge is set to start at inside centre for the Wallabies. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

As anticipated, the Springboks have divided their team in two with a dozen regulars to head to New Zealand early for their second Test of the Rugby Championship against the All Blacks in Auckland.

Hodge said playmaker Manie Libbok, who will make his starting debut in the No.10 jersey, had showed what he’s capable of producing during last year’s end-of-year Tests and played down any idea of the Springboks disrespecting the Wallabies by keeping one eye on next week’s encounter.

“They’ve got very strong depth in every position,” he said.

“Look at the team they’ve put out in the weekend, it’s a very high-quality team and it’s going to be a massive test for us.

“We’re just focusing more on ourselves and preparing for the weekend and hopefully, if we can execute our game plan, it will go a long way to getting a result.”

The Wallabies will name their squad on Thursday afternoon (5pm AEST).