Italy v Australia
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Wallabies
1 Scott Sio (53 Tests)
2 Folau Fainga’a (6 Tests)
3 Taniela Tupou (10 Tests)
4 Izack Rodda (15 Tests)
5 Adam Coleman (29 Tests)
6 Jack Dempsey (8 Tests)
7 Michael Hooper (c) (89 Tests)
8 David Pocock (76 Tests)
9 Jake Gordon*
10 Matt To'omua (40 Tests)
11 Jordan Petaia*
12 Bernard Foley (66 Tests)
13 Samu Kerevi (23 Tests)
14 Adam Ashley-Cooper (116 Tests)
15 Israel Folau (71 Tests)Reserves
16 Tatafu Polota-Nau (87 Tests)
17 Jermaine Ainsley (1 Test)
18 Sekope Kepu (101 Tests)
19 Rory Arnold (19 Tests)
20 Pete Samu (7 Tests)
21 Will Genia (98 Tests)
22 Kurtley Beale (82 Tests)
23 Dane Haylett-Petty (29 Tests)IN: Jake Gordon Jordan Petaia, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Jermaine Ainsley, Rory Arnold, Pete Samu
OUT: Sefa Naivalu, Ned Hanigan, Nick Phipps, Jack Maddocks, Rob Simmons, Allan AlaalatoaJordan Petaia and Jake Gordon will make their Wallabies debuts in Padova as Michael Cheika backs new faces to get the job started against Italy. The pair are among six changes to the 23 for the second Spring Tour clash, not quite the overhaul some might have considered with a host of last week's starters retained but certainly this is a lineup with a host of fresh blood getting the chance to show their wares. Petaia will become the youngest Australian debutant since James O'Connor in 2008 and the third-youngest ever, behind Brian Ford and O'Connor, when he runs out on the wing, ironically sharing the job on the edge with the most-capped player in the squad, Adam Ashley-Cooper. Gordon has also been thrown straight into a starting spot, with Nick Phipps dropping out of the 23 as his Waratahs teammate earns a debut, while Will Genia will keep his chances of a 100th Test at Twickenham alive after being named on the bench. Ashley-Cooper hasn't played a Test in more than two years but rejoined the Wallabies squad a fortnight ago in the first step towards a chance at a fourth Rugby World Cup berth. Their combination means Israel Folau returns to fullback for the first time since the first Bledisloe in Sydney. Matt To'omua will finally take the main playmaking reins for the first time since his return to the Wallabies setup, pushing Bernard Foley to 12 in Italy and Kurtley Beale onto the pine.Tolu Latu has been dropped from the side, with Folau Fainga'a and Tatafu Polota-Nau taking the rake duties, but Cheika has kept his first-choice second row in Izack Rodda and Adam Coleman. Interestingly, Cheika has also opted against giving two of his hardest workers in David Pocock and Michael Hooper a rest in the clash, starting the backrow workhorses together with Jack Dempsey for the second week in a row. On the bench, Jermaine Ainsley, Rory Arnold and Pete Samu have all earned a recall to the 23. He has left youngsters Tom Banks and Jack Maddocks out of the 23.Petaia delivers on bold Thorn prediction, Gordon to debut and Ashley-Cooper returns in Italy
Jake Gordon and Jordan Petaia will debut for the Wallabies in Padova, while Adam Ashley-Cooper returns for his first Test in two years. Watch the match LIVE on beIN sports or SBS from Sunday 1am AEDT or keep up with all the stats in the RUGBY.com.au match centre.
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Is Krusty playing mind games? He's only named 23 in the squad.
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@catogrande said in Italy v Australia:
Is Krusty playing mind games? He's only named 23 in the squad.
Two weeks in a row now. The tactic didn't work against Wales yet still he persists.
Maybe 23.5 is the magic formula? -
Italy
15 Jayden HAYWARD (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
14 Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Rugby, 53 caps)
13 Michele CAMPAGNARO (Wasps, 36 caps)
12 Tommaso CASTELLO (Zebre Rugby Club, 13 caps)
11 Mattia BELLINI (Zebre Rugby Club, 16 caps)
10 Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Rugby, 41 caps)
9 Tito TEBALDI (Benetton Rugby, 27 caps)
8 Abraham Jurgens STEYN (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps)
7 Jake POLLEDRI (Gloucester Rugby, 4 caps)
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
5 Dean BUDD (Benetton Rugby, 14 caps)
4 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Rugby, 107 caps)
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulousian, 97 caps) – capitano
1 Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby Club, 28 caps)Reserves
16 Luca BIGI (Benetton Rugby, 13 caps)
17 Cherif TRAORE' (Benetton Rugby,3 caps)
18 Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps)
19 Marco FUSER (Benetton Rugby, 31 caps)
20 Johan MEYER (Zebre Rugby Club, 2 caps)
21 Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 26 caps)
22 Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby Club, 31 caps)
23 Luca MORISI (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)One change: Jayden Hayward comes into the starting line-up instead of Luca Sperandio.
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@crucial said in Italy v Australia:
@catogrande said in Italy v Australia:
Is Krusty playing mind games? He's only named 23 in the squad.
Two weeks in a row now. The tactic didn't work against Wales yet still he persists.
Maybe 23.5 is the magic formula?I think you’d need to consider this in percentage terms. Eddie?
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well, that's interesting. I wonder how much the result last weekend had in determining the selections for this weekend?
That's a lot of first choice players that have played a lot of rugby, and with England next week, surely some would have been earmarked for a rest? Or is this a test run for 3 knockout games next year?
Foley at 12? AAC back in?
They just desperately need a win don't they? Which they'll get, because Italy are shit.
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@mariner4life said in Italy v Australia:
They just desperately need a win don't they? Which they'll get, because Italy are shit.
Never underestimate our ability to play at the opponent's level, when that opponent is shit.
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@nta said in Italy v Australia:
@mariner4life said in Italy v Australia:
They just desperately need a win don't they? Which they'll get, because Italy are shit.
Never underestimate our ability to play at the opponent's level, when that opponent is shit.
I can't see the Wallabies playing that poorly. They'll finish this tour with a win.
Although, imagine if they didn't...
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Jordan Petaia won't make his test debut this weekend. He has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury and is replaced by Marika Koroibete,
Also out is Rory Arnold, who suffered a fractured eye socket during training. Rob Simmons takes his spot on the bench.
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At last, a score.
After the Qantas Harmless Wallabies offer, for half an hour, a fair imitation of League - pass, pass, get tackled; pass, pass, get tackled; and again until they reach the panic zone 10 metres out from Italy's line where they either drop the ball or gift a scrum penalty.
Federazione Italiana Rugby
