At a glance
Australia coach Dave Rennie has named an unchanged starting side from the one which beat South Africa last week in a Rugby Championship match for the return engagement tomorrow in Sydney.
It was the first time in his 26-match tenure as Wallabies coach that Rennie hasn’t made a change to the starting XV, having made at least four in every test so far this year, many forced by injury.
Australia beat the Springboks 25-17 at Adelaide last weekend.
Tomorrow’s match will be the first international event at the refurbished former Sydney Football Stadium.
Officials said yesterday the match will be a sellout at the 42,500-capacity venue.
James Slipper will captain the side at loosehead prop, playing his 121st test which equals that of Michael Hooper and former teammate Adam Ashley-Cooper. He’s joined in the front row by longtime ACT Brumbies team-mates Folau Fainga’a and Allan Alaalatoa.
The second-row combination of Rory Arnold and Matt Philip will again start for the Wallabies as the team looks to put together back-to-back wins for the first time this year.
The Wallabies reserves bench remains a 6-2 split for the second consecutive week, with David Porecki, Scott Sio and Taniela Tupou the front row reinforcements. Darcy Swain will cover the second row, with Rob Leota and Pete Samu offering versatility across the remaining forward positions.
‘‘It’s great to be able to have some consistency in selection with the team that played last week,’’ Rennie said yesterday.
Earlier in the week, South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber
Australia:
South Africa: took the opposite approach, making nine changes to his injury-hit team.
Prop Ox Nche, hooker Joseph Dweba, No 8 Duane Vermeulen, halfback Faf de Klerk and wing Warrick Gelant lost their places. First-five Handre Pollard, centre Lukhanyo Am and flanker PieterSteph du Toit were all ruled out with knee injuries and backup first-five Elton Jantjies has a hand injury.
Nienaber moved Damian Willemse from fullback to start at first five-eighth and brought 19-year-old Canan Moodie in on the right wing for his test debut.
Willie le Roux returned at fullback, Jesse Kriel replaced Am at outside centre, and Jaden Hendrikse was in for de Klerk at halfback.
The Springboks have lost backto-back games against New Zealand and Australia and were 25-3 down against the Wallabies in Adelaide before two late tries from replacement Kwagga Smith.