Wallabies Coach Eddies Jones has named four Fijian players in his starting team to face the mighty All Blacks in the opening Bledisloe Test against New Zealand at the MCG on Saturday.
Rob Valetini will play his 33rd test match in the gold jersey and start at Number 8 while Marika Koroibete and Mark Nawaqanitawase will be on the wings and Samu Kerevi will start at inside centre.
Fellow Fijian Suliasi Vunivalu has not been considered.
Prop Allan Alaalatoa will serve as acting captain of the side in Saturday’s Test, joined in the front-row by Angus Bell as co-captain James Slipper reverts to the bench.
Fellow co-captain Michael Hooper remains on the sidelines with a calf injury as Tom Hooper starts at open-side flanker, returning from a shoulder niggle.
Scrumhalf Tate McDermott forms a new-look halves partnership alongside breakout star Carter Gordon.
It’s a remarkable rise for Gordon, who made his debut against South Africa at the start of the month.
Melbourne-born back Jordan Petaia returns to the side after a wrist injury, slotting into the vacant outside centre position.
Petaia last played centre at Test level in 2020.
He is joined in the starting side by Andrew Kellaway, who slots into fullback.
Nick Frost also makes his return to the starting side to partner Will Skelton in the second row.
Jones has named an experienced finishers group, headlined by the return of Taniela Tupou.
Tupou made his return from an Achilles injury for Australia A in Tonga a fortnight ago.
He is joined by the likes of Slipper, Nic White and Quade Cooper, with Izaia Perese added to the bench for his first appearance of 2023.
The Wallabies will also wear their First Nations kit for the first time in 2023, with over 80,000 expected at the MCG for the grudge match which kicks off at 9.55pm (Fiji Time).
Fijian quartet to face the All Blacks
Wallabies Coach Eddies Jones has named four Fijian players in his starting team to face the mighty All Blacks in the opening Bledisloe Test against New Zealand at the MCG on Saturday.
Rob Valetini will play his 33rd test match in the gold jersey and start at Number 8 while Marika Koroibete and Mark Nawaqanitawase will be on the wings and Samu Kerevi will start at inside centre.
Fellow Fijian Suliasi Vunivalu has not been considered.
Prop Allan Alaalatoa will serve as acting captain of the side in Saturday’s Test, joined in the front-row by Angus Bell as co-captain James Slipper reverts to the bench.
Fellow co-captain Michael Hooper remains on the sidelines with a calf injury as Tom Hooper starts at open-side flanker, returning from a shoulder niggle.
Scrumhalf Tate McDermott forms a new-look halves partnership alongside breakout star Carter Gordon.
It’s a remarkable rise for Gordon, who made his debut against South Africa at the start of the month.
Melbourne-born back Jordan Petaia returns to the side after a wrist injury, slotting into the vacant outside centre position.
Petaia last played centre at Test level in 2020.
He is joined in the starting side by Andrew Kellaway, who slots into fullback.
Nick Frost also makes his return to the starting side to partner Will Skelton in the second row.
Jones has named an experienced finishers group, headlined by the return of Taniela Tupou.
Tupou made his return from an Achilles injury for Australia A in Tonga a fortnight ago.
He is joined by the likes of Slipper, Nic White and Quade Cooper, with Izaia Perese added to the bench for his first appearance of 2023.
The Wallabies will also wear their First Nations kit for the first time in 2023, with over 80,000 expected at the MCG for the grudge match which kicks off at 9.55pm (Fiji Time).
