Leali’ifano back in Wallabies after beating leukemia

Brumbies veteran Christian Leali’ifano has returned to a Wallabies squad for the first time in three years after recovering from leukemia.

Australia coach Michael Cheika named Leali’ifano in a 34-man squad yesterday for Australia’s first match of the Rugby Championship against South Africa on July 20.

The 31-year-old Leali’ifano played for the Brumbies this year but will move to Japan from next season. The South Africa match would be his first test since June 2016, two months before he was diagnosed with leukemia, and add to his 19 test appearance for Australia.

His selection, along with that of fellow 10 options Bernard Foley and Matt To’omua, means Quade Cooper has missed out, leaving his World Cup chances looking slim two months out from the September tournament.

A host of test regulars have been left out, including Waratahs Nick Phipps and Ned Hanigan, in the first squad picked by the new selection panel.

Nic White has been included for the first time since 2015, alongside Will Genia and Joe Powell as the squad’s halfbacks.

David Pocock, Adam Coleman and Pete Samu are missing from the squad with injury.

The Brumbies in-form front row of James Slipper, Scott Sio, Folau Fainga’a and Allan Alaalatoa were all selected, while Waratahs’ loosehead Tom Robertson returns to the squad after a knee reconstruction. There are three

players in the extended squad looking to earn their first test caps — No 8 Isi Naisarani and rookie backrowers Liam Wright and Rob Valetini. The Brumbies, who lost in the Super Rugby semifinals last week to the Jaguares, have 10 players in the squad, including James Slipper, who also returns to the Wallabies after two years.

“We tried to look at Super Rugby form and what they can bring,” Cheika said.

The Wallabies will travel to Johannesburg on Sunday for a weeklong training camp on South Africa’s Highveld to prepare for the high altitude conditions of the country’s largest city.

Following the South Africa match, the Wallabies return to Brisbane for their first home test of 2019 against Argentina on July 27.