Australia v South Africa Test teams named: Wallabies start NRL convert Suliasi Vunivalu
Quade Cooper returns to Australia’s starting side against South Africa but all eyes will be on a powerhouse NRL convert. See the full teams for the Test match.
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The Wallabies are set to unleash an aerial raid on South Africa by pitting former NRL flyer Suliasi Vunivalu against diminutive rival Kurt-Lee Arendse.
Australian coach Eddie Jones will give Vunivalu his first Test start in Pretoria this weekend and noted the winger’s aerial threat as one of the reasons he selected him.
Vunivalu stands at 192cm, a whopping 15cm taller than 177cm opponent Arendse, and clearly has a bigger jump which should see plenty of cross-field kicks sent his way by five-eighth Quade Cooper, just as the Wallabies did with Israel Folau.
“When he’s come in and trained with us for the last two or three weeks, every session he’s got a little bit better,” Jones said of Vunivalu.
“He’s an exceptional player, strong in the air, a big guy, got good pace.
“I’ve got no doubt he’ll do a good job for us on Saturday.”
Jones also named four Test debutants to play South Africa this weekend.
In picking his first Wallabies team in 18 years – Jones last helmed the team in 2005 – the coach has given international debuts to backrower Tom Hooper, reserve prop Zane Nonggor, reserve lock Richie Arnold and back-up playmaker Carter Gordon.
Co-captain James Slipper, who suffered a knee injury at training this week and was in doubt, has overcome the issue and will start in the front row.
“It’s been a challenging week,” Slipper said. “Obviously I had a mishap on Tuesday, but I get to run today (Thursday), make sure it’s feeling good and I’m pretty confident I’ll be playing.”
Brumbies teammate Blake Schoupp has flown to South Africa as emergency cover should Slipper be a late withdrawal.
Jones has made bold selection shocks in the backline by starting Reece Hodge at inside centre, and Vunivalu on the wing.
Few would have had either man starting in Jones’ first Test in charge a few weeks ago, but he’s seen enough to convince him they can deliver at Pretoria’s graveyard, Loftus Versfeld, where Australia has never won a match.
Vunivalu switched from league after winning the 2020 NRL grand final with Melbourne Storm, but unlike fellow Wallabies convert Marika Koroibete – who is on the other wing – he’s failed to live up to the hype so far.
The 27-year-old has endured three injury-plagued seasons with Queensland Reds and has just one Test off the bench for Australia.
However, late in the Super Rugby season this year he showed glimpses of the form that made him one of the most dangerous attacking threats in the NRL, and Jones will need that magic if Australia is to create history.
Hodge’s inclusion indicates that Jones will be relying heavily on his unmatched long kicking game.
The coach has indicated in the lead-up to this game that the Wallabies hope to pin the Springboks in their own quarter, and Hodge’s massive boot will be key to that.
Samu Kerevi, on his day the most damaging inside centre in the world, will come off the bench after struggling with a hamstring injury sustained playing for the Barbarians.
“He only started training last Thursday before he left, there’s a little bit more he needs to do to be ready to start but certainly he’ll make a massive contribution off the bench for us,” Jones said.
“Hodgo, particularly for a game at Pretoria, I think will do the job well for us at 12.”
Quade Cooper and Nic White form an experienced halves combination while Will Skelton makes his return to the Wallabies after two years out.
Brumbies backrower Hooper, 22, gets his chance to claim the troublesome No.6 jersey when he starts alongside co-captain Michael Hooper and Rob Valetini in the backrow.
“I went down to the Brumbies early in their season and a few of their coaches, I obviously know Stevie [Larkham] pretty well, they’re saying ‘keep an eye out for this young fella (Tom Hooper), and he had a late start because of injury and his first few games weren’t very impressive,” Jones said.
“I thought, ‘Does Stevie really know what he’s talking about here?’ But certainly towards the end of the season he was an absolute standout for them.”
South Africa have named a vastly understrength team for this game, sending 13 of their best stars to New Zealand early, to prepare for the following week’s clash against the All Blacks.
The gamble gives Australia their best chance to break their Pretoria hoodoo, which stretches back to 1963 over seven Tests.
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Originally published as Australia v South Africa Test teams named: Wallabies start NRL convert Suliasi Vunivalu