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Wallabies full-back Israel Folau will face the Barbarians among a host of new faces, but Michael Cheika has revealed his star 15 will not play again in 2017.
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Cheika has picked an experimental squad for the clash with the Baa-Baas – when plenty of attention will be on the invitational side’s captain, former Test Wallaby Quade Cooper.
Folau was on the scoresheet as the Wallabies beat New Zealand 23-18 on Saturday to snap a seven-game losing streak to the All Blacks and Cheika is mindful of burning out one of his best players by taking him on a tour of the Northern Hemisphere next month.
“With Israel, I’ve decided to play him because I’ve decided that he won’t be going on the tour at the end of the year,” Cheika said.
“He’s played a lot of footy and he’s been doing so well.
“I would prefer him to have that break than to have gone there and I think that’s a good balance for all of us.
#BREAKING | Your #Wallabies squad to face the Baabaas this Sat 28 Oct at 3pm AEDT. Tickets at @Ticketek_AU. READ: https://t.co/XpLduXjwyL pic.twitter.com/YHUtUyQYDF
— Wallabies (@wallabies) October 22, 2017
“It’s part of building our depth as well. It will get other players to take responsibility without him there.
“It will be good for him and a good opportunity for players in that position to fill some of that space.”
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Former Test regulars James Slipper (Achilles) and Ben McCalman (shoulder) could return from injury to line up against the Barbarians, while Cheika confirmed 20-year-old Reds centre Izaia Perese will make his international debut.
“He’s definitely going to be getting a chance next weekend,” Cheika said.
“He’s a player who I have really enjoyed coaching and he’s still got a lot of improvement.”
After making a final Test outing against the All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday, Stephen Moore is expected to pull on the green and gold on home soil for the final time at Allianz Stadium next week.
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