Nic White’s retirement tour will continue in Townsville when the halfback partners returning Wallabies fly half Tom Lynagh and captain Harry Wilson against Argentina.
Andrew Kellaway has won the battle to fill the injured Tom Wright’s boots at fullback at Townsville Stadium on Saturday, in the other change to the side that lost narrowly in Cape Town a fortnight ago.
James O’Connor steered the ship in the two-game South African tour but will come off the bench behind 22-year-old Lynagh, who was badly concussed in the third Test against the British and Irish Lions last month.
White had announced his retirement in the lead-up to that game but will start for a fourth-straight Test after answering an SOS following veteran number nine Jake Gordon’s hamstring injury.
Tom Hooper will shift to the second row to replace Will Skelton, who has returned to French club duties, while Wilson has overcome a knee issue to wear the number eight as Rob Valetini moves to blindside flanker.
Carlo Tizzano will get his first action since the third Lions Test, named on a bench that also includes versatile back Filipo Daugunu.
The teams are effectively fighting for a crucial top-six ranking ahead of December’s World Cup draw that would ensure smoother passage to the final stages of the 2027 showpiece.
Los Pumas coach Felipe Contepomi has made three changes to the starting side that beat the All Blacks for the first time on home soil a fortnight ago.
He said there was no danger of an emotional lull after making history in Buenos Aires.
“Sport is a very interesting thing … I hate more losing than what I love winning,” Contepomi told reporters in Townsville on Thursday.
“I get out of that dressing room and I’m already starting to think on the next job.
“When you lose, I try not to take it longer than 24 hours, but sometimes it does. It hurts.
“So we started from zero the following day, preparing for Australia and trying to improve.”
Santiago Carreras will play fly half after replacing Tomas Albornoz (hand) early in their previous outing.
Contepomi has rejigged his back row with the inspirational Pablo Matera moving to number eight to accommodate flanker Marcos Kremer.
Prop Joel Sclavi will start, Geronimo Prisciantelli could debut off the bench while loosehead Boris Wenger should also earn his first cap after playing in the unofficial Test victory over the Lions.
Australia vs Argentina team lists
| Australia Wallabies | Argentina | |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Robertson | 1. Loosehead Prop | Mayco Vivas |
| Billy Pollard | 2. Hooker | Julian Montoya (captain) |
| Taniela Tupou | 3. Tighthead Prop | Joel Sclavi |
| Nick Frost | 4. Lock | Franco Molina |
| Tom Hooper | 5. Lock | Pedro Rubiolo |
| Rob Valetini | 6. Blindside Flanker | Marcos Kremer |
| Fraser McReight | 7. Openside Flanker | Juan Martin Gonzalez |
| Harry Wilson (captain) | 8. Number Eight | Pablo Matera |
| Nic White | 9. Scrumhalf | Gonzalo Garcia |
| Tom Lynagh | 10. Fly half | Santiago Carreras |
| Corey Toole | 11. Left Winger | Mateo Carreras |
| Len Ikitau | 12. Inside Centre | Santiago Chocobares |
| Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii | 13. Outside Centre | Lucio Cinti |
| Max Jorgensen | 14. Right Winger | Bautista Delguy |
| Andrew Kellaway | 15. Fullback | Juan Cruz Mallia |
| Brandon Paenga-Amosa | 16. Reserve | Ignacio Ruiz |
| Angus Bell | 17. Reserve | Boris Wenger |
| Zane Nonggorr | 18. Reserve | Francisco Coria Marchetti |
| Jeremy Williams | 19. Reserve | Guido Petti |
| Carlo Tizzano | 20. Reserve | Joaquin Oviedo |
| Tate McDermott | 21. Reserve | Agustin Moyano |
| James O’Connor | 22. Reserve | Geronimo Prisciantelli |
| Filipo Daugunu | 23. Reserve | Benjamin Elizalde |
| Joe Schmidt | Head coach | Felipe Contepomi |
AAP