Stephen Hoiles
Waratahs coach Michael Cheika named experienced loose forward Stephen Hoiles in the place of injured flank Dave Dennis for this Sunday’s Super Rugby crunch encounter with the Highlanders.
It is the Waratahs’ final home match of the season and they head into home stretch without their regular captain, Dennis, who was ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Michael Hooper takes over the captaincy armband.
After the Waratahs dominated the set piece against the Brumbies, there are no other changes up front.
rugby365
“The conservative thing to do is put Stephen straight in. He’s done it before,” Cheika said of the only change up front.
Benn Robinson will become the most capped prop in Waratahs history (131 caps) when he starts at loosehead. On the other side, Sekope Kepu is at tighthead, with Tatafu Polota Nau at hooker.
Kane Douglas has maintained his mortgage on one of the lock spots, the other will be taken by South African international Jacques Potgieter.
For the second time this season, Stephen Hoiles (33) will start at blindside flank. Speedster Michael Hooper, who takes over as captain, is at openside and Wycliff Palu the No 8.
The halfback combination remains the same, with Nick Phipps wearing No 9 and Bernard Foley in No 10 – the pair has starting together in all 15 games so far this season.
Playmaker Kurtley Beale is at inside centre with his partner in running rugby, vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper, at outside centre.
On the wings are Rob Horne and two-try hero Alofa Alofa, with the mercurial Israel Folau at fullback.
Coach Cheika is still to trim his bench to the required eight and has named 10 replacements.
The final matchday 23 will be confirmed later in the week.
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Alofa Alofa, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper (Captain), 6 Stephen Hoiles, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Jacques Potgieter, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson
Replacements: (two names to be omitted)Tolu Latu, Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Will Skelton, Mitch Chapman, Pat McCutcheon, Brendan McKibbin, Jono Lance, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Cam Crawford.
Date: Sunday 6 July
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Kick-Off: 08:05 SA Time (16:05 AEST, 18:05 NZ Time, 06:05 GMT)
Referee: Steve Walsh
Assistant Referees: Andrew Lees, Ed Martin
TMO: George Ayoub