New Australia coach Eddie Jones has started four new players to face South Africa at the opening of the Rugby Championship. It’s his first line-up at the helm of the Wallabies since 2005, when he left the squad. Prop James Slipper was out with injury after suffering a knee problem in training. which prompted team officials to send Brumbies rookie Blake Schoupp to South Africa.
But the influential captain was still given a start to lead the side into the cauldron at Loftus Versfeld, where the visitors are looking for a first victory in seven attempts.
“It’s been a tough week, but I have to race today to make sure everything is okay. I’m sure everything will be fine,” Slipper told reporters. Rob Valetini will fill the number eight position. The three players who can debut as ‘finishers’ off the bench are prop Zane Nonggorr, second-row Richie Arnold and flyhalf Carter Gordon. , Slipper will glean his 128th cap alongside hooker David Porecki and prop Allan Alaalatoa. Nick Frost and Will Skelton will form the pair at the back row. He is lined up with flyhalf Quade Cooper, who is coming back from an Achilles heel injury.
Reece Hodge, so important in the air, starts in the center and will be associated with Len Ikitau, while winger Suliasi Vunivalu is lined up for the first time with the Wallabies, Marika Koroibete on the other flank and Tom Wright at the back. Jones admits his team will have to deal with the physicality of the Boks, but he adds that it is not just about countering this threat. “We have to fight fire with fire and when we have the opportunity to play the faster we will, Jones said. We are a new team, we have come together and we want to play our style of rugby.
The composition of the Australian team:
1-James Slipper (capitaine), 2-David Porecki, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 4-Nick Frost, 5-Will Skelton, 6-Tom Hooper, 7-Michael Hooper, 8-Rob Valetini, 9-Nic White, 10-Quade Cooper, 11-Marika Koroibete, 12-Reece Hodge, 13-Len Ikitau, 14-Suliasi Vunivalu, 15-Tom Wright
Finishers:
16-Jordan Uelese, 17-Matt Gibbon, 18-Zane Nonggorr, 19-Richie Arnold, 20-Pete Samu, 21-Tate McDermott, 22-Samu Kerevi, 23-Carter Gordon.