Scrum-half Tate McDermott will captain the Wallabies for the first time in the second Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand, in what manager Eddie Jones described on Thursday as a “new era” for Australian rugby.
The Queensland Reds scrum-half was handed the armband for the game at the All Blacks grounds in Dunedin on Saturday. James Skipper will start on the bench and the other co-captain Michael Hooper is still injured.
Allan Alaalatoa assumed the role during the beating (38-7) inflicted by the All Blacks in Melbourne last weekend, but he ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be out for several months. “Tate has all the qualities required to be a great captain for his country and there is no doubt that it will be a proud moment for him and his family when he leads the team on Saturday night,” Jones said.
“We started a regeneration as a team last week and now it’s about building on that with a new captain and a new era for Australian rugby,” he said. “Saturday evening in Dunedin, we will have the opportunity to continue our development as a team”, underlined the technician.
McDermott’s choice means Nic White will once again be on the bench alongside experienced partner Quade Cooper to finish the game, with Jones maintaining faith in fly-half Carter Gordon despite a nervous performance last weekend.
The former England manager has changed his starting XV since taking over this year, looking to put together the best team for the World Cup in France (September 8-October 28).
But things have not gone to plan so far, with three straight losses and increased pressure after what he called a ’terrible’ defeat in Melbourne, which followed those against South Africa and Argentina.
Jones made three changes from the incumbent team in Melbourne, with Pone Fa’amausili replacing Alaalatoa to combine with David Porecki and Angus Bell on the front row. He also recalled Fraser McReight as the wing third line.
And Richie Arnold is back in the second line alongside Nick Frost, while Will Skelton is relegated to the bench. The backline remains unchanged with Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia at centre, Marika Koroibete and Mark Nawaqanitawase on the wings and Andrew Kellaway at fullback.
This is the seventh least capped starting XV in Wallabies history, with just 277 caps for the 15 players lined up at kick-off.
Composition of the Australia team against New Zealand:
Kellaway – Nawaqanitawase, Petaia, Kerevi, Koroibete – (o) Gordon, (m) McDermott (cap.) – Hooper, Valentine, McReight – Arnold, Frost – Faamausili, Porecki, Bell
Remplaçants: Uelese, Slipper, Nonggorr, Skelton, Leota, White, Cooper, Perese
Selector: Eddie Jones (AUS)
