Retiring
scrum-half Nic White and Force winger Dylan Pietsch will come into the Wallabies
starting line-up for the third and final Test of the Qatar Airways British
& Irish Lions Series at Accor Stadium in Sydney on Saturday night.
Tighthead
prop Taniela Tupou will make his first appearance in a gold jersey this year,
replacing the injured Allan Alaalatoa, and will partner with hooker David
Porecki and James Slipper who will play his 147th match for his country.
Bathurst
Bulldogs junior Tom Hooper has come into the starting side at blindside
flanker, in place of Rob Valetini, who is being managed. Hooper will link up
with Queensland pair Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson in the loose forward
trio, with the latter again captaining the side.
The
experienced White has been named to start at scrumhalf in what will be his 73rd
and final Wallabies Test after announcing his retirement from international
rugby. A Maitland Blacks junior, White
will partner Tom Lynagh in the halves, while Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso
Suaalii are again selected as the midfield pairing for the sixth straight Test.
Pietsch
replaces the injured Harry Potter on the left wing with the Wiradjuri man set
to play for the first time in the special edition Wallabies jersey he designed
for this year’s Lions Series.
He’ll join
20-year-old Max Jorgensen, who will play his first Test in his hometown, and
Tom Wright in the back three.
Force
skipper Jeremy Williams is the lock cover with Ben Donaldson among the finishers
in a 5-3 split.
Wallabies
coach Joe Schmidt said: “The squad was certainly deflated after the
gut-wrenching end to last week’s Test in Melbourne, but they have started to
gather momentum in the back half of the week and will be ready to go again on
Saturday.
“The
support in Brisbane and Melbourne helped to lift the squad, and I know the
support this weekend in Accor Stadium, will again help to lift the players in
the high-pressure moments that we know are coming.”
Match
details
Wallabies
vs British & Irish Lions
Accor
Stadium, Sydney
Saturday 2
August, 5:45pm WST
Live on 9GEM
and Stan Sport
Wallabies
team
1. James
Slipper (146 Tests) – #843; Bond Pirates
2. David
Porecki (21 Tests) – #952; Seaforth Raiders
3. Taniela
Tupou (58 Tests) – #917; Brothers Rugby
4. Nick
Frost (28 Tests) – #953; Hornsby Lions
5. Will
Skelton (33 Tests) – #883; The Hills Sports High School
6. Tom
Hooper (12 Tests) – #964; Bathurst Bulldogs
7. Fraser
McReight (28 Tests) – #937; Albany Creek Brumbies
8. Harry
Wilson (c) (25 Tests) – #933; Gunnedah Red Devils
9. Nic
White (72 Tests) – #875, Maitland Blacks
10. Tom
Lynagh (5 Tests) – #977; University of Queensland
11. Dylan
Pietsch (5 Tests) – #978, Leeton Phantoms
12. Len
Ikitau (42 Tests) – #944; Tuggeranong Vikings
13.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (7 Tests) – #988; The Kings School
14. Max
Jorgensen (10 Tests) – #984; Balmain Wolves
15. Tom
Wright (40 Tests) – #939; Clovelly Eagles
Substitutes
16. Billy
Pollard (9 Tests) – #958; Lindfield Junior Rugby Club
17. Angus
Bell (39 Tests) – #940; Hunters Hill Rugby Club
18. Zane
Nonggorr (11 Tests) – #966; Gold Coast Eagles
19. Jeremy
Williams (13 Tests) – #973; Wahroonga Tigers
20. Langi
Gleeson (16 Tests) – #960; Harbord Harlequins
21. Tate
McDermott (44 Tests) – #936; Flinders Rugby Club
22. Ben
Donaldson (18 Tests) – #962; Clovelly Eagles
23. Andrew
Kellaway (40 Tests) – #943, Hunters Hill Rugby Club