SYDNEY (AP) — Australia and Argentina are coming off nearly identical lopsided losses in the first round of the Rugby Championship. To even their records, the Wallabies will have to beat the Pumas without their captain on Saturday, while Argentina coach Michael Cheika will need to defeat his former teammate at a Sydney rugby club.
Skipper Michael Hooper, who has a calf injury, will be replaced by Fraser McReight in the backrow in one of five changes to Australia’s starting lineup. The match sees Eddie Jones, only two tests into his second stint as Australia’s head coach, in a tactical showdown with a former clubmate at Randwick and ex-Wallabies’ coach Cheika.
Jones responded to the heavy 43-12 opening loss in South Africa last weekend with injury-enforced and tactical changes in both the forward pack and backline. The Wallabies conceded six tries and scored only two at Pretoria.
Australia halfback Nic White said it wasn't a pretty performance.
“It kind of shows how far off the mark we are,” White said at training this week. “It’s still a bitter pill to swallow . . . we’re not where we want to be — a long way off actually. There was no sugar-coating, we were straight into it after the game in areas that we weren’t up to scratch. We need to find answers."
Cheika made four changes and two positional switches to the lineup that conceded seven tries and scored two in a 41-12 home loss to the New Zealand All Blacks last weekend in Mendoza.
For Australia, powerful center Samu Kerevi returns at inside center to partner Len Ikitau in midfield and Suliasi Vunivalu has been replaced by Mark Nawaqanitawase on the right wing.
Jones said he needed to juggle developing a squad for the Rugby World Cup in September with the urgent need for a confidence-boosting win.
“Our aim is to get to the World Cup in the best position. We’re obviously a new team, new coaching staff so we’re just finding out where we’re at,” he said. “Every time you get to game time it’s about winning. But there’s a couple of processes we’ve got: the process of today, and the process of tomorrow. That’s a continual balancing act."
The Pumas have the added pressure of being away from home, but go into the Sydney test on the back of a dominating 48-17 win over the Wallabies at this time last year in San Juan.
Cheika also guided Argentina to a 30-29 win over England last November, just before Jones was fired as England's head coach in a move that ultimately resulted in his move back to Australia.
Cheika praised his former teammate.
“Eddie’s a quality coach and I think that’s why Australia wanted to have him back because he can add a lot to the team here, and I’m sure he will," Cheika said. “They’re just in construction like where we’re starting our season, too, so he’s a high-quality coach and you always want to go up against high-quality coaches just to test yourself.”
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Lineups:
Australia: Tom Wright, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Len Ikitau, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Quade Cooper, Nic White; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Jed Holloway, Will Skelton, Richie Arnold, Allan Alaalatoa, Dave Porecki, James Slipper (captain). Reserves: Jordan Uelese, Angus Bell, Pone Fa’amausili, Matt Philip, Rob Leota, Josh Kemeny, Tate McDermott, Carter Gordon.
Argentina: Emiliano Boffelli, Rodrigo Isgro, Lucio Cinti, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Gonzalo Bertranou; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Santiago Grondona, Pablo Matera, Tomas Lavinini, Matias Alemanno, Francisco Gomez Kodela, Julian Montoya (captain), Thomas Gallo. Reserves: Agustin Creevy, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Eduardo Bello, Lucas Paulos, Rodrigo Bruni, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Nicolas Sanchez, Matias Moroni.
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