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Wallabies' halves merry-go-round continues as team to face All Blacks named

By Ben Smith
(Photo by Steve Christo - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has once again changed the halves pair as they prepare to take on the All Blacks in Sydney.

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The Santa Fe starting pair Jake Gordon and Ben Donaldson have been replaced by the Perth No 9 and 10 combination, Nic White and Noah Lolesio. Reds pair Tom Lynagh and Tate McDermott have been named on the bench.

In another surprise, hooker Brandon Paeaga-Amosa has been parachuted into the 23 directly from France from Montpellier. The former Reds hooker last played for Australia in 2021 and will deputise for Matt Faessler on the bench.

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In a major boost for the Wallabies and only change to the forward pack, openside flanker Fraser McReight has been named to start with impressive upstart Carlo Tizzano making way for the Reds star.

The tight five remains unchanged with Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell forming the front row with Faessler and Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams forming the second row.

Wallabies team to take on the All Blacks:

1. Angus Bell (31 Tests)
2. Matt Faessler (10 Tests)
3. Taniela Tupou (54 Tests)
4. Nick Frost (19 Tests)
5. Jeremy Williams (6 Tests)
6. Rob Valetini (46 Tests)
7. Fraser McReight (20 Tests)
8. Harry Wilson (c) (17 Tests)
9. Nic White (69 Tests)
10. Noah Lolesio (23 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (62 Tests)
12. Hunter Paisami (29 Tests)
13. Len Ikitau (33 Tests)
14. Andrew Kellaway (33 Tests)
15. Tom Wright (31 Tests)

Reserves

16. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (14 Tests)
17. James Slipper (139 Tests)
18. Allan Alaalatoa (74 Tests)
19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (35 Tests)
20. Langi Gleeson (7 Tests)
21. Tate McDermott (35 Tests)
22. Tom Lynagh (3 Tests)
23. Dylan Pietsch (2 Tests)

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Comments

7 Comments
C
Cosmo 2 hours ago

Ahh yes.. Mr "don't touch my mustache" Nick White.! But seriously, let's hope the Aussies are competitive & show good signs of progress, if anyone can lift their game playing the AB's it's Australia

T
Teddy 9 hours ago

Nic White!! Nice to see him fully recovered after that horror tackle from faf de Klerk.

J
JW 8 hours ago

I don't want to see that mo..

B
B 11 hours ago

Joes going for a loaded bench of finishers after the All Blacks recent performances of last quarter failing to fire efforts.


A smart move to have players who might normally start the game as impact players in waiting.


But in my opinion the scoreboard will dictate that the timing for Joe to ring the changes needs be perfect.


Go the All Blacks... just make sure that your games on..

S
SK 12 hours ago

Much better team, nearly 500 caps there. lets hope they can turn the AB's over

D
Deplorable 10 hours ago

If you take Koirobete and White’s caps out, the caps drop to 319. White is due for a yellow card and Koirobete is a yard or two off the pace.

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B
Bull Shark 1 hour ago
Why the All Blacks overlooking Joe Schmidt could yet hurt them in the Bledisloe battle

Every year we read about the Wallabies chances in the Bledisloe cup.


And every year the same result.


This time around the chances are even more slim. 1. This is the worst Australian side for some time. With or without Schmidt. He’s no miracle worker. 2. This is still a very good NZ team. Despite the absolute mess they’ve made around running the team. If Argentina can put 40 on Australia - NZ can put 40 on them. No problem.


It’s going to be a 20+ ball game in NZs favour. Minimum. And then NZ will be back in their public’s good books.


If they pump Australia again, they’ll be declared the next World Cup winners with Ireland. Shared.


Until the autumn tests of course. When NZ lose one or both games against the Irish and French and we’ll be back to this story again.


Ahh. The media and fans. So predictable and fickle.


The ABs will become consistent winners again once razors has had the opportunity to learn how to be an international coach. He’s only been doing it for a few months now.


Like I’ve said before. Razor waking in and blowing the competition out of the water is insulting to the many fantastic international coaches who has to work hard to get to that level of success. Even the great Henry and Hansen had to slum it in Wales.


If NZRU actually knew what they were doing they’d have developed their boy razor more. They’ve set him up for failure. They should have retained Foster (or Schmidt) instead of discarding him like a leper.


But at least one thing is certain on the horizon. If Razor doesn’t cut it beyond 2027 - SARU and Rassie Erasmus would have done the good work for them and prepped Tony Brown for the job. I just hope he tells them to stuff it because he’s being treated so well by an organization that knows how to treat its people.

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