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Uncapped wing among two injury cover players called into Wallabies squad
Queensland outcast Lukhan Salakaia-Loto has answered a SOS from the injury-hit Wallabies, with young Waratahs speedster Mark Nawaqanitawase also called up ahead of the deciding test against England.
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Lock/back-rower Salakaia-Loto, who has played 30 tests, had fallen out of favour at both the Reds and Wallabies since announcing he had signed to play with UK club Northampton for 2022-23.
But with the injury list continuing to swell following England’s series-levelling win in Brisbane, Australian coach Dave Rennie has opted to call on the experience of Salakaia-Loto for this Saturday’s SCG clash.
Starting lock Caderyn Neville injured his knee in the second half of the 25-17 loss, which followed Darcy Swain’s two-week ban and injuries to squad members Jed Holloway and Ned Hanigan.
France-based Rory Arnold is only due back this week with Salakaia-Loto preferred ahead of Australia A locks Ryan Smith and Hugh Sinclair, who started in their 14-point win over Fiji last weekend in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Salakaia-Loto played in all five matches at the 2019 World Cup under then coach Michael Cheika, and nine tests under Rennie with his last in August 2021 against New Zealand, unable to crack the squad again after leaving for the birth of his child.
But dropping from Reds co-captain to out of the match-day 23 by the end of the Super Rugby Pacific season, his lack of game time counted against him when the initial Wallabies squad for the England series was announced.
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He has been playing club rugby for Souths in Brisbane, continuing to put his hand up for a test recall.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old winger/fullback Nawaqanitawase has leap-frogged other test hopefuls with a surprise call-up after the Wallabies’ backline stocks also took a hit.
Nawaqanitawase, who was last week included in Australia’s Sevens Commonwealth Games outfit, has been with the Australia A squad, coming off the bench against Fiji.
He joins the test crew in Sydney with fullback Jordan Petaia suffering a head knock and centre Izaia Perese a serious knee injury in Brisbane.
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Tom Banks and Andrew Kellaway were early casualties of the England campaign.
Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
51 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
51 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
51 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
51 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
51 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
51 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
51 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
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