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International

Tupou expected to start against Six Nations champions France

By AAP

02 Nov 2022

Taniela Tupou. (Photo by Jason O'Brien / www.photosport.nz)

Destructive prop Taniela Tupou will return to the Wallabies starting side after Allan Alaalatoa was ruled out of Sunday’s showdown with France in Paris.

Alaalatoa presented with concussion symptoms at halftime in Australia’s spring tour-opening 16-15 win over Scotland at Murrayfield and was subsequently scratched from the second match.

The Wallabies face a huge test of character against the second-ranked Les Bleus as Dave Rennie’s inconsistent outfit chase back-to-back wins for the first time in 13 months.

Rugby Australia have "talked to the Kiwis" about fielding an ANZAC team to take on the British and Irish Lions in 2025. #ANZAC #Wallabies #AllBlacks https://t.co/QXt2PfAgWL
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 2, 2022

France are riding a 10-match winning streak, Europe’s reigning Six Nations champions and 2023 Rugby World Cup hosts last tasting defeat 16 months ago in the series-deciding Test against Australia in Brisbane.

Rennie will name his full 23-man team on Thursday night, with France-based lock Will Skelton in line for a start in the second row after rejoining the Wallabies squad this week.

The 140kg behemoth could add further starch to the forward pack, while changes are also expected in the backline following a clunky attacking performance against Scotland.

Rennie has promised to rotate his three touring halfbacks, with Nic White likely to start after his rugby smarts proved pivotal in the Wallabies’ comeback win in Edinburgh.

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Comments on RugbyPass

JW 11 minutes ago

2024 in review: Beauden Barrett’s brilliance sparks thrilling All Blacks win

Perofeta came back and was available for the eoyt right? Or was that why Love was in the squad (but got injured in the last week)?

It was such a frustrating year. Perofeta looked a service stop gap until Jordan was fit, but then got injured. Plummer was selected because of Pero's injury and dmac shat the bed in the second half in Australia but Clarke (?) got himself binned at the 65 min mark so Plummer couldn't come on (at least with the risk adverse Razors thinking) when he was planned to.

So many other exciting opportunities that could have happened without injuries, but then theyre probably balanced by knowing Sititi probably wouldn't have been given a chance without multiple injuries happened.

3 Go to comments

Head high tackle 15 minutes ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

If they want to improve they need a backs coach. Thats the big area they have failed this year. Talent isnt the problem. Coaching is.

10 Go to comments

JW 21 minutes ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

Agree, the team isn't really in transition anymore, that happened very early, and looks to have been completed by the Argentina loss, that they fixed the cause of that Foster type result and it didn't happen again.

Disagree with how you want to lock in the team like this. As Cantab suggests the real way this team is going to move forward now is by maximising the talent, and there are plenty of other ways the forward pack could potential be improved, so it is going to need some creative and ingenuitive coaching if ABs are going to prove good enough anymore.

10 Go to comments

JW 27 minutes ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

Yeah it was good to get Brodie and Sam out of the road, even Aaron was becoming a stagnant factor for the side. Just need a few more to go now.

10 Go to comments

JW 29 minutes ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

It will be exciting but It'd be lucky to find replacements for Cane and Beauden who are better. Lol@the great Sader comment!

10 Go to comments

JW 32 minutes ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

With four losses across the season and no Rugby Championship title to show for their efforts, the All Blacks aren’t currently the best team in the world.

No one really killed it more than they did so I'd actually saying they are the best team in the world. You have to think someone improves hugely next year though and I'd expect a lot more stagnation from the All Blacks great leap away from Foster's era.

10 Go to comments

Icefarrow 41 minutes ago

2024 in review: Beauden Barrett’s brilliance sparks thrilling All Blacks win

Because Robertson is allergic to risk-taking. Perofeta and Plummer were never once trialled at First Five-Eight, Beauden was kept at Fullback for like half the season despite having close to ten players over the year who can play that position.

3 Go to comments

JW 43 minutes ago

Bernard Foley steals spotlight in blow to New Zealand coaching duo

How can we watch the game?

2 Go to comments

JW 46 minutes ago

2024 in review: Beauden Barrett’s brilliance sparks thrilling All Blacks win

Ahh, all the missed opportunities this season. Why oh why did Beauden not just remain used like this to see if he could have reproduced these types of performances?

3 Go to comments

CR 54 minutes ago

Bernard Foley steals spotlight in blow to New Zealand coaching duo

Laurel and Hardy.

2 Go to comments

JW 56 minutes ago

Watch: Ex-NRL cult hero scores a try on Japan Rugby League One debut

Where can we watch this?

1 Go to comments

OJohn 2 hours ago

Does the next Wallabies coach have to be an Australian?

No, bugger off Schmidt, stop interfering in Australian rugby to keep us down

Your selections are rubbish and your game plan is unAustralian. Go back to NZ. Oh wait, you're actually still there ......

124 Go to comments

Cantab 3 hours ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

Which is why more depth needs development. There are are several players waiting in the mix who will be good to great ABs. Our bench replacements this year were not always up to the mark

10 Go to comments

SC 4 hours ago

Ex-Wallaby explains why All Blacks aren’t at ‘panic stations’ under Razor

Disagree.

The challenge for the All Blacks now that they have 7 of 8 starting forwards locked in and all but one bench forward (only one loose forward and bench loosie to settle on) is to sort out the starting backline as only 9 Roigard, 12 J. Barrett, 11 Clarke and 15 Jordan had good to outstanding seasons in 2024. All the other backs were inconsistent or poor and question marks going into 2025.

10 Go to comments

DA 6 hours ago

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu suffers new injury setback

he should not be playing 12. He should be playing 10 and team managers should stop playing players out of position to accommodate libbok.

2 Go to comments

Bull Shark 8 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Aus hasn’t owned the bled in 21 years.

176 Go to comments

Bull Shark 8 hours ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Dupont!!