SAINT-ETIENNE: James Slipper will break George Gregan's Australian record for most Rugby World Cup appearances when he takes the field against Portugal on Monday (AEST).
Slipper has been named at tighthead prop for his 21st World Cup match in what will likely be the last for the Wallabies in France.
Under pressure coach Eddie Jones has made three changes to the starting side that was smashed 40-6 by Wales in Lyon.
Watch all the action from Rugby World Cup 2023 on the home of rugby, Stan Sport. Every match ad free, live and on demand in 4K UHD
Centres Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia have been dropped in favour of Waratahs duo Lalakai Foketi and Izaia Perese while flanker Fraser McReight comes in for Rob Leota.
It will be Perese's first World Cup apperance while loose forward Josh Kemeny is line for his first run of the tournament after being named on the bench for the clash in Saint-Etienne.
Key forwards Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou remain unavailable through injury.
READ MORE: 'A betrayal…' Test stars call for truth to come out
READ MORE: World Rugby boss clears France captain for mask
READ MORE: New Zealand's 'Gandalf' to eclipse All Blacks icon
https://twitter.com/StanSportRugby/status/1706518962689728681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Australia need Georgia to upset Fiji on Sunday (AEST) or at least deny Fiji a winning bonus point to keep their faint quarter-final hopes alive.
"Obviously a tough old week. We trained the day after the game because we wanted to get back out on the field," Jones said, while explaining his decision to overhaul the midfield.
"Foketi has trained well the whole tournament. Samu has probably just been a little off. He's had a tough run into the World Cup, coming back from an ACL, two hamstring injuries and he just hasn't been as sharp as we'd like him to be.
NEW PODCAST! Michael Atkinson, Sam Worthington and Tom Decent ask what next for Australian rugby as Eddie Jones, Angus Crichton and the game's bosses dominate the headlines
"Jordy Petaia had a bit of a calf issue. He's fit now but again with Izzy, he's trained really well the whole World Cup."
Wallabies captain Dave Porecki said the team had parked the massive disappointment of the Wales game.
"As a group it was tough, that 24 hours after the game, and now we focus on what we can control which is our performance against Portugal," Porecki said.
https://twitter.com/StanSportRugby/status/1707636324159873431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
"We want to finish in the jersey the way we should and do our country proud with a win.
"That's all we can control and that's all we're focusing on."
WALLABIES (15-1): Andrew Kellaway, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Izaia Perese, Lalakai Foketi, Marika Koroibete, Ben Donaldson, Tate McDermott, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Richie Arnold, Nick Frost, James Slipper, Dave Porecki (c), Angus Bell
Reserves: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, Pone Fa'amausili, Rob Leota, Josh Kemeny, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Carter Gordon, Suliasi Vunivalu
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.