SYDNEY :Australia coach Eddie Jones has restored Samu Kerevi to inside centre among five changes to his starting side for the Rugby Championship clash against Argentina on Saturday.
Kerevi, who made his return from injury off the bench in last week’s 43-12 thrashing by South Africa, will be reunited with flyhalf Quade Cooper in Australia’s first choice 10-12 combination.
Co-captain Michael Hooper, who has a calf injury, makes way for Fraser McReight at openside flanker in a reshuffled back row, with Jed Holloway replacing the injured Tom Hooper on the blindside for the game at Parramatta Stadium.
Mark Nawaqanitawase replaces Suliasi Vunivalu on the right wing after the Fijian-born flyer struggled in South Africa.
Nick Frost has also been dropped from the matchday squad, with Richie Arnold promoted to the second row with fellow France-based lock Will Skelton.
“We didn’t get off the start line like we wanted to, but we get another opportunity to find our rhythm this weekend against a tough Argentinian side,” Jones said in a statement.
Argentina coach Michael Cheika has made four changes to his starting line-up from last week’s 41-12 loss to New Zealand in Mendoza.
Juan Martin Gonzalez moves from openside flanker to number eight for Rodrigo Bruni, with Santiago Grondona coming into the back row. Francisco Gomez Kodela replaces Lucio Sordoni at tighthead prop in the other change to the pack.
In the backline, Lucio Cinti moves to outside centre to make way for Jeronimo de la Fuente in the number 12 shirt and Rodrigo Isgro starts on the right wing in place of Bautista Delguy.
Former Wallabies coach Cheika said he was confident his team could cope with the threat presented by the Cooper-Kerevi partnership.
“I’ve got obviously a strong relationship with Samu and from years of coaching here, so I know what he can do,” he told reporters in Sydney.
“We’ll be ready for that challenge. And if we want to go somewhere with our team this year, they’re the challenges that we have to meet and .. we need to learn how to win them. I’m sure we’ll be up for that battle.”
Australia:
15-Tom Wright, 14-Mark Nawaqanitawase, 13-Len Ikitau, 12-Samu Kerevi, 11-Marika Koroibete, 10-Quade Cooper, 9-Nic White, 8-Rob Valetini, 7-Fraser McReight, 6-Jed Holloway, 5-Will Skelton, 4-Richie Arnold, 3-Allan Alaalatoa, 2-David Porecki, 1-James Slipper (captain)
Replacements: 16-Jordan Uelese, 17-Angus Bell, 18-Pone Fa’amausili, 19-Matt Philip, 20-Rob Leota, 21-Josh Kemeny, 22-Tate McDermott, 23-Carter Gordon.
Argentina:
15-Emiliano Boffelli, 14-Rodrigo Isgro, 13-Lucio Cinti, 12-Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11-Mateo Carreras, 10-Santiago Carreras, 9-Gonzalo Bertranou, 8-Juan Martin Gonzalez, 7-Santiago Grondona, 6-Pablo Matera, 5-Tomas Lavanini, 4-Matias Alemanno, 3-Francisco Gomez Kodela, 2-Julian Montoya (captain), 1-Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16-Augustin Creevy, 17-Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18-Eduardo Bello, 19-Lucas Paulos, 20-Rodrigo Bruni, 21-Lautaro Bazan Velez, 22-Nicolas Sanchez, 23-Matias Moroni.
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