Australia has announced a 30-man squad for its next two Rugby Championship matches, including the return of New South Wales Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau.
Coach Ewen McKenzie said Wednesday that Polota-Nau will not be considered for selection in Australia’s match against South Africa in Perth on 6 September.
NZ Herald
Polota-Nau is continuing his rehabilitation from the right knee injury he sustained during the Waratahs’ Super Rugby championship final win over the Crusaders on 2 August.
Australia will be without hooker Nathan Charles and winger Pat McCabe. Charles has a chest injury while McCabe has reportedly been forced to retire after suffering the third neck fracture of his career in Australia’s 51-20 loss to New Zealand in Auckland last weekend.
The Australian Rugby Union is expected to clarify McCabe’s career status on Thursday. ACT coach Stephen Larkham said Wednesday that McCabe had decided to retire, but the ARU and the Brumbies said those reports were premature.
McKenzie also named Western Force center Kyle Godwin to an Australian squad for the first time.
The Wallabies also play Argentina on Sept. 13 on the Gold Coast in Queensland state. Australia is level on points with Argentina in the Rugby Championship but is in last place because of an inferior points differential.
New Zealand’s win in Auckland enabled the All Blacks to extend their hold on the Bledisloe Cup to 13 consecutive years.
“We don’t hide from the fact that our performance against New Zealand was well below our own expectations, which was especially disappointing considering the momentum we had created since last year’s spring tour,” McKenzie said. “We’ll address that and then get on with preparing for what will be a very tough battle against South Africa next Saturday night.”
The Wallabies go into camp on Sunday in Perth.
Australia squad:
Backs: Israel Folau, Peter Betham, Rob Horne, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Kyle Godwin, Christian Leali’ifano, Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley, Nic White, Nick Phipps, Luke Burgess.
Forwards: Wycliff Palu, Ben McCalman, Michael Hooper (captain), Matt Hodgson, Scott Higginbotham, Scott Fardy, Rob Simmons, James Horwill, Sam Carter, Will Skelton, Sekope Kepu, Ben Alexander, James Slipper, Pek Cowan, James Hanson, Saia Fainga’a, Tatafu Polota-Nau.
The Wallabies were lucky against All Blacks first test and showed true colours second test. Boks were pathetic both tests against Puma’s. Looking at above team not much is going to change for Aus, they’re going to have to be lucky to win.
Boks are looking shocking. The scrum is pi.. poor, line-outs average and our backline couldn’t punch their way out of a cheap condom. JdV may be solid but his imagination is on par with Zuma’s explanation of Nkandla. Damien is great prospect, but at this level, playing out of position, isn’t close to test level player. Pollard needs attacking scrum and attacking scrum-half. Pienaar does not attack, ok for fly-half like Morne who hangs back but with attacking backline puts them behind advantage line before they start.
Locks were pathetic in set scrums, Juan Smit needs game time