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Waratahs call upon prop out of Brisbane club rugby amid injury crisis
By Finn Morton
The NSW Waratahs have had to call upon former Brumbies and Force prop Harry Lloyd out of Brisbane club rugby as they continue to contend with a shocking run of injuries this season.
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Head coach Darren Coleman, who will not stay in the role beyond this Super Rugby Pacific season, has also called front rower Mike Scott up from Shute Shield duty.
The Waratahs’ injury toll now stands at 18 players, with Wallaby Lachlan Swinton among those to have been recently ruled out.
In other team changes, flyhalf Tane Edmed comes back into the starting side and Wallaby Izaia Perese replaces Triston Reilly on the wing.
Jack Bowen comes into the reserves, and so dos former Fijian rugby league international Vuate Karawalevu who will provide cover for the outside backs.
Looking through the team, Waratahs debutant Lloyd will pack down with Jay Fonokalafi and Brad Amituanai in the front row, with Jed Holloway and Hugh Sinclair completing the tight five.
Ned Hanigan will link up with Charlie Gamble and Langi Gleeson in a tough backrow trio to round out the starting forwards.
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Captain Jake Gordon will link the forwards and backs once again as the halfback. The Wallaby joins Tane Edmed in the halves, with centres Lalakai Foketi and Joey Walton just outside them.
Dylan Pietsch will start on the left wing with Izaia Perese on the right. NRL-bound Mark Nawaqanitawase will line up at fullback against Moana Pasifika.
The Waratahs will need to win to keep their slim hopes of making the playoffs alive. They can leapfrog Moana Pasifika with a win at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Waratahs team to take on Moana Pasifika
- Harry Lloyd**
- Jay Fonokalafi
- Brad Amituanai
- Jed Holloway
- Hugh Sinclair
- Ned Hanigan
- Charlie Gamble
- Langi Gleeson
- Jake Gordon (c)
- Tane Edmed
- Dylan Pietsch
- Lalakai Foketi
- Joey Walton
- Izaia Perese
- Mark Nawaqanitawase
Replacements
- Ben Sugars
- Lewis Ponini
- Mike Scott*
- Miles Amatosero
- Fergus Lee-Warner
- Jake Grant
- Jack Bowen
- Vuate Karawalevu
*denotes NSW Waratahs and Super Rugby Pacific debut
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**denotes Super Rugby Pacific debut
Players unavailable: David Porecki, Thomas Lambert, Archer Holz, Mesu Kunavula, Ned Slack-Smith, Daniel Botha, Mahe Vailanu, Angus Bell, Theo Fourie, Ned Hanigan, Tom Ross, Julian Heaven, Max Jorgensen, Teddy Wilson, Hayden Thompson-Stringer, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Enrique Pieretto, Lachlan Swinton
