Rugby Championship: Wallabies lose hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau on eve of Springboks Test to injury
THE Wallabies have copped a late blow with veteran hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau forced out of the Test against South Africa on Sunday morning (1.05am AEST) in Port Elizabeth with a hamstring niggle.
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THE late loss of veteran hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has heaped pressure on the Wallabies’ scrum and wobbly lineout for the Test against the Springboks in Port Elizabeth early on Sunday morning (AEST).
The edge it will take off the team’s lineout is the major worry because this key area of ball supply for backline moves is only operating at 71 per cent through The Rugby Championship.
Polota-Nau felt a hamstring niggle at training on Thursday was withdrawn before the captain’s run at the magnificent Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday.
Rookie Folau Fainga’a will make his first start in just his fourth Test after bench cameos against the All Blacks, South Africa and Argentina over the past five weeks.
Brandon Paenga-Amosa comes onto the bench for his first Test action since the June series against Ireland.
The lineout question mark is significant with the Wallabies already juggling to be at their best equipped there.
Specialist lock Rob Simmons is the only backrow cover on the bench and to specifically bolster the lineout with his organisation late in the Test should he come on as a flanker.
“Rob been good at learning coverage across all positions this week and he’s a quality player for us,” Wallabies skipper Michael Hooper said.
Fainga’a has a huge task to step up beside prop Taniela Tupou, also a starter for the first time in his seventh Test.
Fainga’a and Tupou have just nine caps between them compared to the experience of 123 Tests that opponents Malcolm Marx (18) and Tendai Mtawarira (105) will try to exert at scrum time.
“Unfortunately, Taf felt an uncomfortable feeling in his hamstring but all our hookers are prepped and ready to go,” Hooper said.
“Folau has had a lot of time on the paddock in the last few weeks so he’s been exposed to some big games and the same with Brandon (who started in all three Tests against Ireland in June).”
Hooper said sharpening the supply of possession from the lineout so attacking triggers could be enacted was all important after a spluttering performance there to date.
“We know the Africans are going to come hard at us there...it hasn’t been a functioning part of our team,” Hooper said.
“At times, it has been OK but not at a standard we have been pleased with.
“You can stop our backs getting the ball and there’s plenty of danger there.
“We’ll be wanting to get some clean ball to really launch our attack, something we haven’t hit our straps with.”
Hooper’s one previous visit to the stadium with the NSW Waratahs gives him some familiarity with a superb Test venue of 46,000 seats which has the fast feel and size of Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.
The wind that gusted over 40km per hour across coastal Port Elizabeth on Friday was largely blocked out of the stadium yet the swirling inside could affect high kicks and long, floating passes.
“It will be factor if the wind is around but both teams will have to face it,” Hooper said.
The Wallabies have devoted plenty of time at training to the detail of skills, set plays and little individual points that have let the team down at times recently.
Hooper said the team had pulled itself up after the low of losing to Argentina on the Gold Coast two weeks ago when he absorbed the hurt as a late withdrawal because of injury.
“I had the same emotions as the rest of the team and it did take us a bit longer to come out the other side of the disappointment,” he said.
“Now, we’re really excited about what’s ahead at a hugely impressive stadium and what we can do.”
AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Kick-off: 1.05am, Sunday. Referee: Jerome Garces (Fr)
TV (live): Fox Sports, Ch 10
WALLABIES: Dane Haylett-Petty, Israel Folau, Reece Hodge, Matt Toomua, Marika Koroibete, Kurtley Beale, Will Genia, David Pocock, Michael Hooper (c), Ned Hanigan, Izack Rodda, Adam Coleman, Taniela Tupou, Folau Faingaa, Scott Sio. Res: Folau Fainga’a, Sekope Kepu, Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Rob Simmons, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Jack Maddocks, Brandon Paenga-Amosa
SPRINGBOKS: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira. Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Embrose Papier, Elton Jantjies, Damian Willemse
Originally published as Rugby Championship: Wallabies lose hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau on eve of Springboks Test to injury