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Wallabies roll dice with new-look team to face All Blacks / Photo: © AFP
Wallabies roll dice with new-look team to face All Blacks
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones on Thursday made mass changes to the run-on side to face the All Blacks this weekend, gambling on Test rookie Carter Gordon as playmaker for the high-pressure clash instead of veteran Quade Cooper.
Australia head into the Melbourne Cricket Ground game on Saturday, in front of an expected 80,000 fans, after consecutive Rugby Championship defeats to South Africa and Argentina.
The former England boss is without a win since taking over from Dave Rennie and again shuffled the pack as he continues his search for his best side to field at the September-October World Cup in France.
The biggest surprise among the seven changes was 22-year-old Carter getting the nod at fly-half ahead of 78-Test stalwart Cooper, who started the last two Tests.
He will partner with scrum-half Tate McDermott, preferred to another veteran Nic White, as Jones looks to freshen up the underperforming team.
Equally surprising was co-skipper James Slipper dropping to the bench, with Angus Bell linking up with hooker David Porecki and tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa.
As expected, fellow co-skipper Michael Hooper was not among the 23 as he continues to recover from a calf injury, with ACT Brumbies captain Alaalatoa taking the armband.
"We are a team that wants to make Australia proud, and Saturday night is a great opportunity to light up the MCG," said Jones.
"A young starting 15 and vibrant, experienced finishers will give us the 80 minutes we want."
Among other changes, Jordan Petaia returns at outside centre after a long injury lay-off and will partner with Samu Kerevi in the midfield.
Andrew Kellaway will also play his first Test of the year at fullback alongside Marika Koroibete and Mark Nawaqanitawase on the wings.
Lock Nick Frost returns to the second row alongside Will Skelton, while Tom Hooper, who missed the last Test with a shoulder injury, is back at openside flanker in a new-look back row that features Jed Holloway at blindside flanker and Rob Valetini at No.8.
Australia (15-1):
Andrew Kellaway; Mark Nawaqanitawase, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi; Marika Koroibete, Carter Gordon, Tate McDermott; Rob Valetini, Tom Hooper, Jed Holloway; Will Skelton, Nick Frost; Allan Alaalatoa (capt), David Porecki, Angus Bell
U. Schmidt--BTZ
