Rugby World Cup: James Slipper rushed back into Wallabies team to replace Taniela Tupou for Fiji clash
Eddie Jones is calling on a veteran to replace injured prop Taniela Tupou for the Wallabies’ crunch clash with Fiji, but there’s another injury issue also at play. See the side here.
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The Wallabies have had another major injury scare before their crucial World Cup clash with Fiji.
Already without halfback Tate McDermott and prop Taniela Tupou, the Wallabies are now sweating on the fitness of captain Will Skelton after he felt some tightness in his calf in training.
Skelton hurt himself during a practice session late on Thursday and was sent for scans the next morning.
He was named to skipper the Wallabies side against Fiji but was missing from the press conference when Eddie Jones announced his selections for the pool game with the Pacific Islanders early on Monday (Australian time.)
Jones did not elaborate on the seriousness of Skelton’s injury but said any decision on whether he would play against Fiji would be left until the last minute.
“At this stage he’s still in the team,” Jones said. “We don;t deal with hypotheticals.”
Former Wallabies captain James Slipper has been rushed back into the starting team to replace injured prop Taniela Tupou.
Slipper missed the Wallabies opening World Cup win over Georgia because of a foot injury but will return at tighthead prop this weekend, becoming just the third Australian to play in four Rugby World Cups.
“It’s a remarkable achievement to play four World Cups,” Jones said.
“It’s a real testament to his courage and his resilience and how much he loves the game and how much he loves playing for the Wallabies and a;abies and we think he’ll play a pretty big match for us.”
Tupou was ruled out of the match after injuring his hamstring in training this week.
Slipper’s recall is on of three chances to the starting side that beat Georgia 35-15 in Paris last week
Veteran halfback Nic White will wear the gold No. 9 jersey after Tate McDermott was stood down for concussion protocol reasons after copping a knee to the head against Georgia last weekend.
And lock Nick Frost returns to the second row after replacing Richie Arnold in the starting pack,
With a win all but securing the Wallabies a passage to the quarterfinals,” Jones said there was no room for error.
“Fiji is the most important match of our Rugby World Cup campaign,” he said.
“It’s another big opportunity for our young side to keep getting better and we’ll be ready on Sunday.”
Jones named an unchanged back row for what will be the first of two pool matches at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in St Etienne, with the youthful Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight and Rob Valetini the loose forward trio.
Ben Donaldson remains at fullback, presumably to continue as the goal kicker after booting six shots last week in his man of the match effort against Georgi.
Carter Gordon will partner with Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia in the midfield and Mark Nawaqanitawase and Marika Koroibete on the wings.
Melbourne’s Jordan Uelese has recovered from injury to earn a recall as the reserve hooker with Blake Schoupp and Zane Nonggorr as the finishing props.
Richie Arnold swaps roles with Frost for the match, named as the finishing lock, with Rob Rob Leota to provide versatility as cover across the remainder of the forward pack. Issak Fines-Leleiwasais the reserve halfback.
The Wallabies haven’t lost a Test against Fiji since 1954 so will go into the match as overwhelming favourites but Jones said he was taking nothing for granted after Pacific Islanders came close to beating Wales in their opening match,
“They have a great ability to play counter-attacking rugby and they’ve got pace and they’ve got position and that puts a different test,” he said.
“They’re a team of power. They got pace and they showed that in the last 10 minutes against Wales.
“When you play against Fiji, you always like to have a (strong) set piece and we started the tournament off well in that area.
“So that’s an area we’d like to keep growing. And our ability to win those power contests.”
Originally published as Rugby World Cup: James Slipper rushed back into Wallabies team to replace Taniela Tupou for Fiji clash
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