Coach Cheika Makes One Change
Wallabies stick with Fijian trio in tonight’s must win clash at Eden Park
The Wallabies have kept their winning Bledisloe Cup line-up apart from one injury-forced change with lock Adam Coleman replacing Rory Arnold for their Test in Auckland tonight.
Coach Michael Cheika has resisted making sweeping changes as he did in 2015 when the Wallabies were last within a win of regaining the coveted trans-Tasman trophy. The Wallabies will have to beat a 33-year Eden Park curse to take the trophy but Cheika said it was no use pretending the opportunity did not mean anything to Australian rugby.
“The Bledisloe Cup means a lot - and it doesn’t just mean a lot when you have it, it means even probably more when you don’t have it,” he said.
“Sometimes you defer it and say, ‘we’ll take the game in our stride’ but that’s only hiding from the fact that we know we haven’t had it for a long time and we’re hungry to go there and do our best and try and take the trophy.
“We know we’re going to come up against an excellent opponent, who’s going to be ready to go as well.
“And that’s why the game is so anticiapted.”
FIJIAN 3
Also retained are the Fijian combination of No.8 Isi Naisarani, centre Samu Kerevi and winger Marika Koroibete. Test-hardened second rower Coleman came off the bench during last week’s historic 47-26 win in Perth to replace Arnold, who had been one of Australia’s best before suffering a hand injury.
Rob Simmons is promoted as lock cover on a reserve bench that features three changes from Perth.
Uncapped flanker Liam Wright replaces Luke Jones, with the return date for injured star David Pocock once again pushed back. Test veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper replaces Tom Banks as outside back cover and will make his first Wallabies appearance of the year if called upon.
It would be his 118th Test and extend his Australian record to 32 appearances against New Zealand.
It is the second-most experienced bench in Wallabies history, boasting 474 combined caps.
Cheika has played down the nature of the lopsided Perth result, saying it merely earned the Wallabies a ticket to Auckland.
Australia will return with the Bledisloe Cup if they can end their 33-year hex at Eden Park with a win or a draw.
They’ve lost their last 22 Tests in New Zealand, dating back to 2002, the last year they owned the silverware.
The match kicks0ff at 7.35pm.
LINE-UP
Wallabies squad: 15. Kurtley Beale, 14. Marika Koroibete, 13. James O’Connor, 12. Samu Kerevi, 11. Reece Hodge, 10. Christian Lealiifano, 9. Nic White, 8. Isi Naisarani, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 6. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 5. Adam Coleman, 4. Izack Rodda, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 2. Tolu Latu, 1. Scott Sio.
Reserves: 16. Folau Fainga’a, 17. James Slipper, 18. Taniela Tupou, 19. Rob Simmons, 20, Liam Wright, 21. Will Genia, 22. Matt Toomua, 23. Adam Ashley-Cooper.