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James O'Connor returns for Wallabies' final test of the year
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has named James O’Connor at flyhalf for the side’s final eToro Tri Nations Test of the year against Argentina at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday night.
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Wearing the First Nations jersey, O’Connor will return to the side for the first time since injuring his knee in the second Bledisloe Test in Auckland, with his inclusion seeing Reece Hodge move to fullback.
Hodge’s shift means the 26-year-old will have started for the Wallabies in every position across the backline except scrumhalf during his International career.
The change is one of two in the starting XV with Allan Alaalatoa set to start at tighthead prop alongside hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Brumbies teammate Scott Sio.
Matt Philip will be one of just five players to have started every Test for the side this year when he combines with Rob Simmons in the second row, with the latter playing his 106th International.
The backrow remains unchanged from the 15-all draw against the Pumas a fortnight ago, with Ned Hanigan in the number six jersey, skipper Michael Hooper at openside flanker and rookie Harry Wilson at no.8.
Nic White is another who has started every game so far in 2020 and will have a chance to reignite his partnership with James O’Connor in the halves.
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The exciting midfield duo of Jordan Petaia and Hunter Paisami will get another opportunity to develop their combination at inside and outside centre, with the dynamic Marika Koroibete and Tom Wright rounding out the back three alongside Hodge.
Brumbies rake Folau Fainga’a retains his spot as reserve hooker after an impressive cameo in his last outing, with youngster Angus Bell and the damaging Taniela Tupou the other front row replacements.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto also returns from injury on Saturday night after missing the last two Tests with an ankle injury, he’s joined by Rob Valetini as the forward cover.
Livewire Jake Gordon will again be called upon as the backup number nine, while Irae Simone has forced his way onto the bench for what would be his second appearance in the Wallaby jersey alongside Tom Banks who completes the matchday 23.
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A Wallabies veteran has lauded an "almost magnetic" understanding between two of the squad's youngsters as they prepare for their final test of the year. #AUSvARG #Wallabies #TriNations https://t.co/OYxeDQqmjc
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 30, 2020
Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said: “It’s great to have James back in the team this weekend, he brings a lot of experience to a young group and has been working really hard to get his body right to be able to get back on the field.
“Reece has done a great job for us at number 10 over the past two games and we’re confident he’ll put in another good performance for us on Saturday night from fullback.
“The side has worked really hard over the last 10 weeks or so and built a strong connection and I know as a full squad we are really keen to put together a performance that reflects that.”
Wallabies team to play Argentina at Bankwest Stadium, Sydney on Saturday 5 December, 7:45pm AEDT
1. Scott Sio (67 Tests)
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (8 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (40 Tests)
4. Rob Simmons (105 Tests)
5. Matt Philip (8 Tests)
6. Ned Hanigan (24 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (104 Tests)
8. Harry Wilson (5 Tests)
9. Nic White (36 Tests)
10. James O’Connor (54 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (33 Tests)
12. Hunter Paisami (5 Tests)
13. Jordan Petaia (7 Tests)
14. Tom Wright (2 Tests)
15. Reece Hodge (44 Tests)
Replacements
16. Folau Fainga’a (15 Tests)
17. Angus Bell (2 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (24 Tests)
19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (24 Tests)
20. Rob Valetini (3 Tests)
21. Jake Gordon (4 Tests)
22. Irae Simone (1 Test)
23. Tom Banks (10 Tests)
– with Rugby Australia
Comments on RugbyPass
What a dagg in more ways than one
5 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
5 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to commentsIt’s not up to Wales to support Georgian Rugby. That’s up to International Rugby and Georgia. I sympathise with Georgia’s decent attempt to create this fixture. But for Wales the proposed match up is just a potential stick to beat them with and a potential big psychological blow that young Welsh team doesn’t need. (I’m Irish BTW.)
3 Go to commentsCale certainly looks great in space, but as you say, he has struggled in contact. At 23 years old, turning 24 this year, he should be close to full physical maturity and yet there exists a considerable gap in the power and physicality required for international rugby. Weight doesn’t automatically equate to power and physicality either. Can he go from a player who’s being physically dominated in Super rugby to physically dominating in international rugby in 1 or 2 years? That’s a big ask but he may end up being a late bloomer.
38 Go to commentsIf rugby wants to remain interesting in the AI era then it will need to work on changing the rules. AI will reduce the tactical advantage of smart game plans, will neutralize primary attacking weapons, and will move rugby from a being a game of inches to a game of millimetres. It will be about sheer athleticism and technique,about avoiding mistakes, and about referees. Many fans will find that boring. The answer is to add creative degrees of freedom to the game. The 50-22 is an example. But we can have fun inventing others, like the right to add more players for X minutes per game, or the equivalent of the 2-point conversion in American football, the ability to call a 12-player scrum, etc. Not saying these are great ideas, but making the point that the more of these alternatives you allow, the less AI will be able to lock down high-probability strategies. This is not because AI does not have the compute power, but because it has more choices and has less data, or less-specific data. That will take time and debate, but big, positive and immediate impact could be in the area of ref/TMO assistance. The technology is easily good enough today to detect forward passes, not-straight lineouts, offside at breakdown/scrum/lineout, obstruction, early/late tackles, and a lot of other things. WR should be ultra aggressive in doing this, as it will really help in an area in which the game is really struggling. In the long run there needs to be substantial creativity applied to the rules. Without that AI (along with all of the pro innovations) will turn rugby into a bash fest.
24 Go to comments