Teams should be announced later today. I would like to see a similar team to last week with plenty of opportunities for fringe players.
Also the banter between Bernie and Mario has been entertaining.
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Teams should be announced later today. I would like to see a similar team to last week with plenty of opportunities for fringe players.
Also the banter between Bernie and Mario has been entertaining.
Folau and Pocock return to face Pumas - but with a shock twist
Today at 1:45 PM The Rugby Championship
by Sam Phillips
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has made a second shock tactical switch in as many weeks by naming Israel Folau on the wing in a Test for the first time in five years in the side to play Argentina on Saturday.
In a team that also sees David Pocock back in the starting XV, Adam Coleman on the bench and Taniela Tupou again held back for impact from the reserves, Folau's move to the wing is the boldest selection from Cheika.
Folau has started 61 straight Tests at fullback and Cheika has repeatedly stated in past years he regards the Waratahs star as too valuable a commodity at fullback to shift him to centre or wing.
No longer. With his replacement Dane Haylett-Petty among the best Wallabies' performers for the last two Tests, Folau will play on the wing for the first since the Wellington Bledisloe in August 2013.
The move comes just one week after Cheika handed the keys to the Wallabies attack over to Kurtley Beale and Matt Toomua and relegated Bernard Foley to the bench.
While the pair were far from perfect in their first Test together since 2014 the foundation of a fresh look to the Australian attack were there and Cheika has clearly been impressed with the work of Haylett-Petty at No. 15.
Many pundits have long been of the opinion Haylett-Petty is best suited at fullback and he has retained the jersey for Saturday's clash with the Pumas, Jack Maddocks dropping back to the bench to accommodate for Folau.
Pocock's inclusion is the other change to the starting XV, pushing Pete Samu back to the bench and Ned Hanigan out of the 23.
There are three other personnel changes to the 23 which faced South Africa.
After making a mad dash back to Melbourne on Saturday to be with his wife for the birth of his first child Adam Coleman will come off the bench, pushing Rob Simmons out of the squad.
Nick Phipps also returns from a rib injury suffered in the Shute Shield final.
Sekope Kepu will make his 97th Test appearance from the bench and he will serve as loosehead cover should Scott Sio suffer an injury as Taniela Tupou is the only other prop named on the pine.
Tupou is a specialist tighthead, leaving Kepu as Cheika's only option at No. 1. The veteran Wallaby prop began his Super Rugby and Test career at loosehead but made the switch across the front row in the early years of his career.
The Pumas named their team earlier on Thursday.
The Wallabies face the Pumas at Robina Stadium on Saturday, kicking off at 8pm AEST, broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS, Channel Ten and RUGBY.com.au radio. Buy tickets here.
TEAM
Wallabies team to face the Pumas
IN: David Pocock, Israel Folau, Adam Coleman, Nick Phipps, Sekope Kepu
OUT: Tom Robertson, Rob Simmons, Tom Banks, Joe Powell, Ned Hanigan
1. Scott Sio (48 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (85 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (26 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (16 Tests)
5. Izack Rodda (10 Tests)
6. Lukhan Tui (10 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (85 Tests)
8. David Pocock (72 Tests)
9. Will Genia (93 Tests)
10. Kurtley Beale (77 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (14 Tests)
12. Matt Toomua (36 Tests)
13. Reece Hodge (30 Tests)
14. Israel Folau (66 Tests)
15. Dane Haylett-Petty (24 Tests)
Reserves
16. Folau Faingaa (2 Tests)
17. Sekope Kepu (96 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (5 Tests)
19. Adam Coleman (25 Tests)
20. Pete Samu (6 Tests)
21. Nick Phipps (66 Tests)
22. Bernard Foley (61 Tests)
23. Jack Maddocks (3 Tests)
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/0...ies-team-pumas
Trio of changes for Pumas against Wallabies
Today at 11:51 AM The Rugby Championship
by Beth Newman
The Pumas have reshuffled their front row for Saturday's clash against the Wallabies.
Pumas coach Mario Ledesma was disappointed with his side's scrummaging against the All Blacks, saying post-match they were 'torn apart' in that area.
He has acted immediately, moving Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro to loosehead and bringing Santiago Medrano into the starting team.
"We got torn apart so we need to get better there," he said at the time.
"It's been the same for the last couple of years. Unfortunately other teams go hard at us there because they consider we're really strong."
Flanker Pablo Matera starts at blindside flanker in place of Tomas Lezana, bringing Juan Manuel Leguizamon into the 23 for the Gold Coast match.
Gonzalo Bertranou will start at scrumhalf ahead of Martin Landajo, with Tomas Cubelli out of the match day group.
Both the Wallabies and Pumas have one win each in the Rugby Championship so far this season, with the Pumas beating the Springboks in Mendoza and the Wallabies besting them in Brisbane last weekend.
The Wallabies host the Pumas at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday September 15, kicking off at 8pm AEST, LIVE on FOX SPORTS, Channel Ten, Macquarie Radio and RUGBY.com.au Radio. Buy tickets here.
TEAM
IN: Santiago Medrano, Gonzalo Bertranou, Juan Martin Leguizamon
OUT: Gaston Cortes, Tomas Cubelli, Tomas Lezana
1. Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro
2. Agustin Creevy
3. Santiago Medrano
4. Guido Petti
5. Tomas Lavanini
6. Pablo Matera
7. Marcos Kremer
8. Javier Ortega Desio
9. Gonzalo Bertranou
10. Nicolas Sanchez
11. Ramiro Moyano
12. Jeronimo De La Fuente
13. Matias Moroni
14. Bautista Delguy
15. Emiliano Boffelli
Reserves
16. Julian Montoya
17. Santiago Garcia Botta
18. Juan Pablo Zeiss
19. Matias Alemanno
20. Juan Manuel Leguizamon
21. Martin Landajo
22. Bautista Ezcurra
23. Juan Cruz Mallia
https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2018/0...team-wallabies
Phipps is back :(
The RA have had to drop ticket prices by 50% to try and attract some supporters. Looks like another terrible crowd in another rugby "Heartland" ... expect to see another half empty stadium. Serves em right for putting two rugby tests within about 100km of each other over 2 weekends.. meanwhile Optus Stadium sits there being used for every other sport but Rugby.
Hooper out.
Wallabies may get some respect from the ref now..
Quote:
THE Wallabies have been forced into a dramatic late change for Saturday’s Test against Argentina with captain Michael Hooper ruled out with a hamstring injury.
David Pocock will lead the side and wear Hooper’s No 7 jersey on the Gold Coast, with Pete Samu reinstated at No 8.
Hooper aggravated the hamstring injury he suffered in Super Rugby last weekend but played out the 80 minutes in Australia’s 23-18 win over the Springboks.
He was named in coach Michael Cheika’s initial side but was withdrawn on Friday.
Now we're getting somewhere, Bam in 7 and DHP in 15 :approve:
Bugger the Ref, we still have a whole bevy of primadonnas in the side who will stick their bottom lips out the instant anything goes against them.
At least we'll see some ball from the breakdown now with a proper 7 playing the right side of the scrum.
Samu isn't a genuine 8, but two fetchers can get by, whereas an out of position fetcher on his own generally can't.
Hamstring again .. how's that 5 year contract looking?
Such a better team on paper. Hope we do really well now so the Chieka nay sayers (me included) are finally vindicated.
The worst thing about Hooper being withdrawn is that Hannigan gets a bench spot.