Australia head coach Michael Cheika has named a Wallabies team with four changes to the starting line up for Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against South Africa’s Springboks at Perth’s nib Stadium.
Tatafu Polota-Nau will wear the number two jersey with Sekope Kepu to start alongside him in the scrum as Allan Alaalatoa shifts to the reserves.
Adam Coleman returns to the starting side following his late withdrawal prior to the second Bledisloe Cup clash but Dane Haylett-Petty will miss the remainder of the year with the winger to undergo surgery on a biceps injury.
Saturday night is set to cap a rapid rise for hooker Jordan Uelese, with the 20-year-old in line to become Wallaby 912 after he was named to debut off the bench.
Uelese is set to be the ninth Wallabies debutant of 2017, after rocketing into Wallabies contention following his performances for the Australia U20s at this year’s World U20 Championships in Georgia.
Flanker Jack Dempsey is on the bench and in line for just his second Wallabies cap after his debut against Italy in June, while Samu Kerevi returns to the matchday 23 in the number 22 jersey.
Three players have been released for Round Two of the National Rugby Championship with Izaia Perese (Queensland Country), Kane Douglas and Adam Korczyk (Brisbane City) to play this weekend.
Michael Cheika’s Wallabies are currently third on the Rugby Championship table after collecting just one bonus point from the opening two rounds. South Africa lead the standings and New Zealand are second.
Australia and South Africa last met in Perth in 2014 as Australia snuck home for a memorable 24-23 win, thanks to a last-gasp try from Rob Horne.
Australia
1. Scott Sio, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 3. Sekope Kepu, 4. Rory Arnold, 5. Adam Coleman , 6. Ned Hanigan , 7. Michael Hooper (c), 8. Sean McMahon, 9. Will Genia, 10. Bernard Foley, 11. Reece Hodge, 12. Kurtley Beale , 13. Tevita Kuridrani , 14. Henry Speight, 15. Israel Folau ,
Replacements :16. Jordan Uelese*, 17. Tom Robertson , 18. Allan Alaalatoa , 19. Rob Simmons, 20. Jack Dempsey , 21. Nick Phipps, 22. Samu Kerevi , 23. Curtis Rona
* Wallabies debut
