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Wallabies make six changes for Ireland but Suaalii is fit to start

The Wallabies line up for last Sunday's anthems in Scotland (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Joe Schmidt has made six changes to his Wallabies team for Saturday’s final Autumn Nations Series match. Australia lost 13-27 to Scotland last Sunday, ending hopes of repeating their 1984 UK and Ireland Grand Slam tour success, and the reaction for their game in Dublin has been to alter one back and five forwards.

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With the fixture falling outside the official November player release window, Schmidt was unable to select the likes of the French-based Will Skelton. His place is taken by Jeremy Williams, who had an illness last week, and he will lock down at second row with Nick Frost, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto dropping to the bench.

Both props are also changed with James Slipper and the fit-again Taniela Tupou in for the benched duo of Angus Bell and Allan Alaalatoa. In the back row, Fraser McReight is chosen ahead of Carlo Tizzano at openside.

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Boks Office pick their best 15 from the Autumn Nations Series matches. Watch the full Boks Office episode on RugbyPass TV now

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While just three players – Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Rob Valetini and skipper Harry Wilson – are retained from last Sunday’s starting pack in Edinburgh, it is nearly as you were in the back line as the only change is on the left wing with Max Jorgensen in for the benched Harry Potter.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who went off injured at Murrayfield, has recovered and will continue his starting partnership in the midfield with Len Ikitau. On the bench, fly-half Tane Edmed, the son of the former Balmain Tigers NRL star Steve Edmed, is poised to become Australia’s record-extending 19th debutant of 2024.

Team Form

Last 5 Games

4
Wins
2
3
Streak
2
16
Tries Scored
16
32
Points Difference
0
4/5
First Try
3/5
4/5
First Points
4/5
4/5
Race To 10 Points
3/5

Schmidt said in a team announcement statement: “It has been a challenging year where we have grown a bit as a squad, and we have an opportunity to challenge ourselves again against what is a settled and cohesive Ireland team.

“It’s going to be a big occasion at the Aviva with the 150th anniversary celebrations so I hope those in attendance get to enjoy a really good spectacle.”

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Australia (vs Ireland, Saturday)
1. James Slipper (142 Tests) – Bond Pirates
2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (19 Tests) – Southern Districts
3. Taniela Tupou (57 Tests) – Brothers Rugby
4. Nick Frost (24 Tests) – Hornsby Lions
5. Jeremy Williams (9 Tests) – Wahroonga Tigers
6. Rob Valetini (51 Tests) – Harlequin Junior Rugby Club
7. Fraser McReight (24 Tests) – Albany Creek Brumbies
8. Harry Wilson (c) (21 Tests) – Gunnedah Red Devils
9. Jake Gordon (28 Tests) – Canterbury Juniors
10. Noah Lolesio (28 Tests) – Tuggeranong Vikings
11. Max Jorgensen (6 Tests) – Balmain Wolves
12. Len Ikitau (38 Tests) – Tuggeranong Vikings
13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (3 Tests) – The Kings School
14. Andrew Kellaway (38 Tests) – Hunters Hill Rugby
15. Tom Wright (36 Tests) – Clovelly Eagles

Replacements:
16. Billy Pollard (5 Tests) – Lindfield Junior Rugby Club
17. Angus Bell (35 Tests) – Hunters Hill Rugby
18. Allan Alaalatoa (79 Tests) – West Harbour Juniors
19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (40 Tests) – Randwick
20. Langi Gleeson (13 Tests) – Harbord Harlequins
21. Tate McDermott (40 Tests) – Flinders Rugby Club
22. Tane Edmed (uncapped) – West Harbour Juniors
23. Harry Potter (1 Test) – Moorabbin Rams)

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Comments

1 Comment
J
JW 11 days ago

Still going with Gordo aye, Schmidt might be as pedantic as Razor with his picks.


Like Edmed getting a tour opportunity, lets see if he players more or less than the obligatory Razor 3 minutes off the bench.

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Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 1 hour ago
'It doesn’t make sense for New Zealand to deny itself access to world-class players'

There are a couple of inadequacies in this articles points as well.


First

Robertson, in what he has said publicly, is building his argument for change as a means to close the gap that is increasing between the All Blacks and South Africa.

Based on recent performances, the All Blacks are better than the Springboks.


Second

Both games saw the All Blacks lead coming into the last 30 minutes, only for the momentum to shift dramatically once the two sides emptied their respective benches.

The failings of the second half were game plan related, they happened regardless of whether the bench had yet (play got worse very early in the half, even in the first half) been used or not.


And third

Robertson’s view is that because the Boks don’t lose access to their experienced players when they head offshore, it gives them an advantage

Didn't Razor have the most experienced team all year?


Also

“Sam Cane and Ardie Savea with Wallace Siti, what a balance that is.

This is part of Razor's problem. That's a terrible balance. You instead want something like Sam Cane, Hoskins Sotutu, Wallace Sititi. Or Ardie Savea, Sititi, Scott Barrett. Dalton Papaili'i, Savea, Finau. That is balance, not two old struggling to keep up players and an absolute rookie.

It has changed. Not many go north, more go to Japan, so how do we get the balance right to ensure that players who have given loyalty, longevity and who are still playing well

Experience is a priceless commodity in international rugby and New Zealand has a system where it throws away players precisely when they are at their most valuable.

You mean how do we take advantage of this new environment, because nothing has effectively changed has it. It's simply Japan now instead of Europe. What's it going to be like in the future, how is the new American league going to change things?


Mo'unga is the only real valid reason for debating change, but what's far more important is the wide discussion happening that's taking the whole game into account. The current modem throws players away because they decided to go with a 5 team model rather than a 12 or 14 team model. Players have to be asked to leave at the point were we know they aren't going to be All Blacks, when they are playing their best rugby, reached their peak. In order to reset, and see if the next guy coming through can improve on the 'peak' of the last guy. Of course it's going to take years before they even reach the departing players standards, let alone see if they can pass them.


What if there can be a change that enables New Zealand to have a model were players like Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Chandler Cunningham-South, Ethan Roots, Warner Dearns are All Blacks that make their experienced and youth developemnt the envy of the World. That is the discussion that really needs to be had, not how easy it is to allow Mo'unga to play again. That's how the All Blacks end up winning 3 World Cups in a row.

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