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PARIS – Eddie Jones has returned fire with fire against French counterpart Fabien Galthie, naming a strong Wallabies outfit for Sunday’s (Monday, 1:45am AEST) final pre-World Cup match against Les Bleus at the Stade de France before the tournament gets underway in a fortnight.
A day after Galthie named a full-strength side two weeks after losing playmaker Romain Ntamack for their World Cup campaign, Jones named a starting side that features four changes to the one that went down by three points to the All Blacks in Dunedin.
There are two changes to the pack, with Taniela Tupou to start at tight-head prop less than a year after delivering his best starting performance in a gold jersey against France at the same venue.
His return comes after missing the Dunedin Test due to a rib injury suffered during the second half blow out to the All Blacks at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 29.
New captain Will Skelton also returns to the starting side, with Nick Frost given a spell and Matt Philip recalled via the bench.
(L-R) Angus Bell and Taniela Tupou pose will start in the front-row against France. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
The other two changes see Lalakai Foketi get some valuable minutes at inside centre, with Samu Kerevi given more time to make his way back from a fractured hand suffered during the 23-20 loss in Dunedin.
Like Tupou, Foketi made an impact at the Stade de France last year, finishing off one of the Wallabies’ best tries in years as the midfielder crossed under the sticks from a movement that started on his own goal line and saw Tom Wright burn Damian Penaud on the left-wing.
That was the last we have seen of Foketi in a gold jersey because, as so often the case throughout his career, injury struck. Now, Foketi gets to stake his claim on the biggest stage in front of one of the World Cup favourites.
Lalakai Foketi will play his first Test since injuring himself against France in 2022. (Photo by Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images)
The final change sees Suliasi Vunivalu start ahead of Marika Koroibete on the left-wing, with Jones likely wanting to give his winger another shot to find some form in a match that means little but could bear some delicious fruit.
On the bench, Blake Schoupp has gone from first grade rugby to the Wallabies in the space of a year with the Super Rugby rookie named on the bench.
Schoupp, 25, comes onto the bench with James Slipper nursing a minor foot-injury.
He isn’t the only player in line for a debut either, with Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, the livewire halfback that bounces out of the ruck and has played his best minutes as a finisher, named as Tate McDermott’s replacement.
Ben Donaldson is also in line for his third Test, with the “utility” named as one of just two backs on Jones’ bench.
It will be the 24-year-old’s first minutes since the Waratahs’ quarter-final exit in early June.
Yet, given Donaldson is just one of two playmakers alongside Carter Gordon in Jones’ 33-man World Cup squad, the Waratahs back is bound to play a greater role throughout the campaign.
Jones said playing France on the eve of the World Cup was the perfect finale to their preparation.
“We’ve had an impressive preparation for the Rugby World Cup this week. Improving our physical capacity has been a priority and our Rugby fitness is rapidly improving and we will look to use it against France,” he said in a statement.
“To play against the tournament hosts in front of a massive crowd at the venue for the Final is perfect preparation for us.
“We are a young side, who is ambitious and in the process of developing our game.”
With Jones keeping his powder dry and opting not to speak to the media following Friday’s team announcement, assistant coach Dan Palmer said selection was based on building the side’s momentum.
“You always want to test yourself, don’t you?” Palmer said.
“We’ve seen progression over the past few Tests we’ve played and the most important thing is to put the way we to play and the combinations we want to play under genuine heat, and there’s no better place to do that or better way to do that than against one of the favourites going into the World Cup, so that’s what Eddie means by that.
“Playing the game at Stade de France, where we’re going to play our first game, there’s a lot of upside for us.”
He added: “We need to see progression in certain areas. We’re trying to build a team that can win the World Cup. So, in terms of selection, that was that was forefront of mind as well.”
Wallabies team to play France at Stade de France, Paris on Sunday 27 August, 5:45pm CET/1:45am AEST
Finishers
*denotes uncapped
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