Micheal Chieka has made two changes to his starting line-up for the Wallabies next next against Argentina in Buenos London this weekend.
Lopeti Timani comes into the starting team, his run on debut, at Number 8 following injuries to this year’s other 8 men David Pocock and Sean McMahon. Timani made his debut for the Wallabies off the bench in the last test against the Pumas in Perth.
Timani follows his brother Sitaleki into the Wallaby jersey after Sitaleki made his debut for the Wallabies in the 2011 loss to Samoa in Sydney.
The other starting team change is Rory Arnold in for Rob Simmons, to join Adam Coleman in becoming the tallest ever Aussie lock combination.
It will be the 7th different locking combination used by Cheika this year following:
Rob Simmons & Rory Arnold
Sam Carter & Rory Arnold
Rob Simmons & Will Skelton
Rob Simmons & Kane Douglas
Adam Coleman & Kane Douglas
Adam Coleman & Rob Simmons
Cheika has once again named an extended bench of nine players, one of which will be cut sometime Friday night you’d assume (Oz time). Leroy Houston is currently on that extended bench and has the chance to make his test debut
Allan Alaalatoa also returns to the squad at the expense of the experienced James Slipper.
The named squad is:
1. Scott Sio (23 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (c) (110 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (71 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (4 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (5 Tests)
6. Dean Mumm (51 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (59 Tests)
8. Lopeti Timani (1 Test)
9. Will Genia (71 Tests)
10. Quade Cooper (62 Tests)
11. Reece Hodge (4 Tests)
12. Bernard Foley (35 Tests)
13. Samu Kerevi (6 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (8 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (46 Tests)
Reserves (one to be omitted)
James Hanson (10 Tests)
Tom Robertson (2 Tests)
Allan Alaalatoa (3 Tests)
Kane Douglas (26 Tests)
Scott Fardy (36 Tests)
Leroy Houston*
Nick Phipps (46 Tests)
Tevita Kuridrani (39 Tests)
Sefa Naivalu (1 Test)
*denotes uncapped player
The test will be the third time these two countries have met in neutral territory.
The first was in Llanelli back at the 1991 Rugby World Cup when the Wallabies defeated the Argentines 32-19 in their opening match of the tournament. The next time was the semi-final of last year’s RWC , also at Twickenham, when the Wallabies won 29-15.
