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Wallaby Lalakai Foketi to complete incredible return to Waratahs’ First XV
After suffering a devastating neck injury at training during pre-season which saw the Wallaby rushed to hospital, Lalakai Foketi is set to complete an incredible return to the Waratahs’ starting side.
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Foketi, 29, returned to Super Rugby Pacific off the pine for the Waratahs last during the team’s agonising defeat to Australian rivals the Melbourne Rebels at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium in round six.
But looking ahead to the Waratahs’ next clash with the ACT Brumbies in Canberra, coach Darren Coleman has handed Foketi a start at inside centre.
With Joey Walton shifting to outside centre, and Wallaby Izaia Perese moving to the bench, Foketi will run out onto the field at GIO Stadium with the No. 12 jersey on his back.
“Lalakai brings a great power game for us,” assistant coach Pauli Taumoepeau said in a statement. “He links up well with Tane, and he gets the ball to width deceptively well which helps us get out back three more involved.”
Wallaby Angus Bell, and the return of Fergus Lee-Warner and Charlie Gamble to the starting side headlines a formidable Waratahs pack who’ll be hungry to get the job done on the road.
With the New South Welshman somewhat desperate for a win, coach Darren Coleman has named a strong side with Bell set to pack down alongside Julain Heaven and Harry Johnson-Holmes.
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Jed Holloway joins Lee-Warner in the second row, while the Tahs have gone with a formidable loose forwards trio of Lachlan Swinton, Charlie Gamble and Hugh Sinclair.
Captain Jake Gordon will link up with fly-half Tane Edmed in the halves again this week, while the outside back trio of Dylan Pietsch, Mark Nawaqanitawase and Max Jorgensen can be lethal from anywhere on the rugby field.
Head-to-Head
Last 5 Meetings
Wins
5
Draws
0
Wins
0
Average Points scored
32
24
First try wins
60%
Home team wins
60%
“Swinno has always been that spiritual leader for us. He doesn’t say much but when he does say something everyone listens. He does most of his talking on the field through his carries and through his defence,” Taumoepeau added ahead of Lachlan Swinton’s 50th Super Rugby match.
“Against the Brumbies, we’ll need all hands on deck and if Swinno is leading the charge he’ll be pretty easy to follow.
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“They’re a class side. They’ve been the best maulers in the competition for a very long time. We’ve got to be really disciplined and play them at the right ends of the field.
“I think the battle will be won and lost up front. We’re looking forward to this challenge.”
On the bench, the likes of Miles Amatosero, Teddy Wilson and Will Harrison are among the players to watch as the Tahs chase what would be just their second win of the season.
This clash at Canberra’s GIO Stadium is scheduled to get underway at 7:35 pm AEST on Saturday evening.
Waratahs team to take on ACT Brumbies
- Angus Bell
- Julian Heaven
- Harry Johnson-Holmes
- Jed Holloway
- Fergus Lee-Warner
- Lachlan Swinton
- Charlie Gamble
- Hugh Sinclair
- Jake Gordon (c)
- Tane Edmed
- Dylan Pietsch
- Lalakai Foketi
- Joey Walton
- Mark Nawaqanitawase
- Max Jorgensen
Replacements:
- Theo Fourie
- Hayden Thompson-Stringer
- Tom Ross
- Miles Amatosero
- Sioen Misiloi
- Teddy Wilson
- Will Harrison
- Izaia Perese
Players unavailable: David Porecki, Thomas Lambert, Archer Holz, Mesu Kunavula, Ned Slack-Smith, Daniel Botha, Mahe Vailanu, Langi Gleeson, Jack Grant, Ned Hanigan
Comments on RugbyPass
Poetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
2 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
2 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
90 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
90 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
90 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
90 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
90 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
90 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
90 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
90 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
90 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
90 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
90 Go to comments