Eddie Jones has moved to shore up his scrum, drafting in props Blake Schoupp and Pone Fa’amausili to his squad ahead of Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against Argentina while releasing Taniela Tupou to play for Australia A.
With Allan Alaalatoa struggling on his return from injury and key props Tupou and Angus Bell not yet fit to play, the Wallabies’ scrum was smashed by the Springboks in one of the key reasons for their 43-12 hammering in Pretoria over the weekend.
Alaalatoa pancaked several times while the replacement front-row, with Zane Nonggorr on debut, was on roller-skates.
Blake Schoupp is in the reckoning to make his debut for the Wallabies. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
As such, Jones has quickly taken action and looks set to call up Fa’amausili to take on Michael Cheika’s Pumas side, while Super Rugby rookie Schoupp, who impressed in his breakout season after moving to the nation’s capital, is a chance to make his Test debut.
If he was to be called up, it would continue his remarkable year where he went from overlooked at the Waratahs to cult hero at the Brumbies.
Indeed, scenes of him chest pumping in Melbourne during his side’s win over the Blues and working up the crowd in the Brumbies’ dramatic quarter-final win over the Hurricanes were moments that would have won over Australian rugby fans. But it was the strong scrummaging that backed it up that would have caught Jones’ eye.
“What I like about him [Schoupp] is he’s one of those players I feel like he’s got a lot of growth in him,” Jones said after naming him in his April training squad.
“He’s an unheralded player, he’s built pretty close to the ground; if he’s standing behind a picket fence you’re not going to see much of him. He’s built like a brick s–t house, isn’t he?
“He’s perfectly built to be a prop, he scrummages hard, he’s hard on the ball, and he’s one of those guys, he’s come up the hard way and I feel like with an opportunity we might get a bit more out of him.”
As for Fa’amausili, the massive tight-head prop has found his way back into the squad after once again finding himself on the outer.
Work rate, fitness and attitude have been some of the reasons why he’s found himself in and out of the Wallabies over the few years, but there’s no doubting his capacity and physique.
Taniela Tupou is set to make his comeback against Tonga after being released by the Wallabies. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Jones has included the Rebels giant after releasing Tupou, who is set to make his comeback for Australia A against Tonga in Nuku’alofa on July 14.
It’s a smart move because as Alaalatoa discovered, returning from injury against the world’s best is no easy feat.
Tupou’s minutes are likely to be managed, but his return from a ruptured Achilles won’t coincide with the high-stakes nature of a Test.
It will also allow Tupou to build some confidence, with the prized prop admitting some self-doubt after his devastating injury last November against Ireland.
“If I have a month or two before the World Cup, I won’t be as confident,” Tupou said in April.
“Coming back from a big injury like this you need a few big games to get that confidence back. I’m lucky enough to have three months to try and get back. Fingers crossed.”
Cec
Roar Rookie
Ainsley and Lomax moved to NZ some time ago. Wasted opportunity
OwenL
Roar Rookie
Agreed although I do think Talakai should be in the squad over pone
luuk
Roar Rookie
Suprises me that eddie didnt bring folau fainga’a in for uelese. He’s a great ball carrier and has cohesion with slipper and Allan. Dynamic tight ball carrier's are lacking in the starting line-up and porecki can support the less experienced props as a reliable finisher
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Harry, agree re HJH. Bell was the up and comer at the Tahs, particularly when his old man ( 1 cap Wallaby) became the scrum coach. Robertson ( very intelligent bloke) knew he would be punted by the “son” and opted to head West ( early) !
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Believe he'll never play for Australia again.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
True, BUT he is the Tomgan Thor !!
Val
Roar Rookie
RA needs to make a decision whether it wants to win the World Cup or not. To think that a first year prop, Schoupp and a reserve prop from the Rebels, Fa’amausili will solve our scrum problems is like still believing in the tooth fairy. RA should take the decision to look at all the Australian props playing around the world and if there are any better than those in Australia then bring them into the RWC squad. If this bruises a few ego's so be it. (That's if RA is serious about winning RWC 2023.) Sio is one name already mentioned and after a year in UK football certainly fits the bill and for me the other easy choice is Ollie Hoskins who has spent seven years in the English Premiership. The experience of both makes them much better choices than the two names mentioned previously. Maybe some one in RA can remember when the Wallabies scrum was absolutely demolished in another era and that lead to easy victories for the opposition!!! Please don't repeat the same mistake again!!!
Nobody
Roar Rookie
Turns out he should have brought Sio after all
Cassandra
Roar Rookie
Such a shame the coach didn't think that one of our best hookers was worth more game time. But then again he was playing in a team that did have an absolute cracker of a season - 6 wins no less! It is difficult t o see how he could have been fitted in to such a successful team.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
Drop him a line and tell him to get contracted to RA this weekend and put those silly dreams of being an All Black away.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
Seriously!?! You are hoping 40 minutes next week for Toupo is enough to offset a year out recovering and have him ready for the ABs pack. You do realise he's a slow starter at best, has zero match fitness and is currently in the other team. Not the best messiah but here's hoping.
Hazel Nutt
Roar Rookie
You gotta imagine Holloway will get a start, or come into the second row and Frost could play at 6. I personally like Leota when he's fit, but the lineout wasn't great even when the throws were on target, and I put that down to no one being a full time caller for their club. Holloway can contribute that and nail his core duties, particularly the defence in tight.
Die hard
Roar Rookie
It was written with the disappointment born from the hope I had in him when he first arrived sadly KC. Hoping Slipper and AAA get fit and go the distance this year.
Northandsouth
Roar Rookie
He's focusing on the big picture. If he gets his side humming and overperforms at the WC, early poor results will be quickly forgotten. Send Tupou off to do whatever gets him right for the world cup, and make do now with whatever you can cobble together if that's what it takes. Fans are goldfish - most of us can only ever see last week and/or next week - coaches don't have that luxury.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
If a bloke doesn't have the "desire" to be better, particularly with the physical attributes ( like Pone gas), then leave him out of the equation altogether.
Rocky B
Roar Rookie
Sounds like he’s match fit then. Unless he runs out for the ABs he’s still up for grabs. This is where the ARU need to be spending their money instead of NRL wingers
Check-side for the boundary
Roar Rookie
Eddie's risk on Uelese was supposed to help shore up our 2nd half scrum. Big man = good scrumagger but didn't work. The risk that he doesn't throw straight also backfired. These two might be better also Faessler could be on the bench with them, too. Argentina have lack of depth in the front row, too, so this might help ... Is it too late to draft in Scott Sio later on ...??
jeznez
Roar Guru
Sio yes, BPA and Latu would help as well. Not sure why Talakai seems to be down the list.
Reds Harry
Roar Rookie
SO from reading this thread this is our tighthead stocks and current situation: Tupou - world class and a point of difference when fit but has been out all of 2023 and a huge question mark if he can get back to his best. My fear is that there is a high probability of injury with Thor being rushed by a desperate Wallabies. AAA - was injured in the last couple of months of SR On the weekend looked like a fella who was still managing himself. Ominous. Pone - we all know his short term impact potential but still question marks on his ability to scrummage at test level. Talakai - solid scrummager for the Rebs, doesn't bring much else. Yet to be tested/proven against international packs. At least he's not carrying an injury Nonggorr - Does have potential but still very green. Tightheads need time. He's still on an upward learning curve. HJH - mismanaged by the Tahs when they tried to turn a perfectly good loosehead prop into a tighthead so golden boy Bell could have clear space at loosehead. Never really convinced and now injured anyway. Classic example of poor coaching and management too prevalent in modern Australian rugby. For this weekend, I'd start with a fit Sam and bring Pone off the bench - now or never for him. Nonggorr and Tupou for the A team. Rest AAA.
Revok
Roar Rookie
Aaaaah i see, i was told a must have Gitaeu pick in giant 145 kilo Skelton was going to shore up the scrum. As i`ve said many times, he is a poor scrummager as well as his other numerous inadequacies in his test second rower core skills. He distributes his weight in all the wrong areas for a start. The props cop the blame for his poor technique huh. Bring in Neville and Phillip ASAP and jettison Skelton and the scrum will improve as will the breakdown and lineout. :thumbup: