12 Wallabies named in Australia A squad for two-match USA tour

Queensland Reds fly-half Tom Lynagh is among the 12 Wallabies named in the Australia A squad to face the USA Eagles, with the two-match tour including tests in Nashville and New Jersey later this month.

Matt Faessler will captain the Australia A side, which includes recently-capped Wallabies lock Miles Amatosero. Amatosero debuted for the Wallabies against Italy during the July Nations Championship Tests, and also featured against Japan in Osaka.

Nick Frost, Tom Robertson, Lachlan Lonergan, Tane Edmed, Dylan Pietsch and Luke Reimer all bring international experience, as do a couple of current Wallabies. Kalani Thomas and Zane Nonggorr have also been selected in the A squad in order to get more game time.

Uncapped prospect Toby Macpherson was named in the Wallabies squad for the Bledisloe Cup series, and the versatile forward is set for another invaluable opportunity after being selected as one of 16 forwards in the A side.

Olympians Corey Toole and Lachlan Anderson, Queensland Reds flyer Tim Ryan, Western Force standouts Mac Grealy and Nathan Hastie, and ACT Brumbies centre Kadin Pritchard are also in the mix.

“It’s pleasing to pull together such a strong group of players for what will be a testing Tour against genuine international opposition,” Australia A coach Stephen Larkham said.

“A lot of the players selected have performed well across Super Rugby AUS and to have a number of Wallabies in the mix shows the depth that is being created across the Australian Rugby system.”

Australia A will play the USA Eagles, who went unbeaten in three July Tests during the all-new World Rugby Nations Cup, in Nashville on October 24 and New Jersey on October 30. The group will leave for the USA on October 18.

Australia A squad for the USA

Forwards (16)

Miles Amatosero (NSW Waratahs) Joe Brial (Queensland Reds) Ethan Dobbins (NSW Waratahs) Eamon Doyle (NSW Waratahs) Matt Faessler (c) (Queensland Reds) Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies) Will Harris (Western Force) Lington Ieli (ACT Brumbies) Tom Lambert (Queensland Reds) Lachlan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies) Toby Macpherson (ACT Brumbies) Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds) Luke Reimer (NSW Waratahs) Tom Robertson (Western Force) Rory Scott (ACT Brumbies) Rhys van Nek (ACT Brumbies)

Backs (11)

Lachie Anderson (Queensland Reds) Tane Edmed (ACT Brumbies) David Feliuai (ACT Brumbies) Mac Grealy (Western Force) Nathan Hastie (Western Force) Tom Lynagh (Queensland Reds) Dylan Pietsch (Western Force) Kadin Pritchard (ACT Brumbies) Tim Ryan (Queensland Reds) Kalani Thomas (Queensland Reds) Corey Toole (ACT Brumbies)