Wallabies v England selection news: Desperate Wallabies set for shock set-piece solution

Australia’s growing injury list is set to force Dave Rennie to gamble on a left-field lock option for the deciding third Test against England.

Rob Leota. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty

Rob Leota has emerged as a shock second-row candidate for the deciding third Test in Sydney as the Wallabies deal with a crippling injury crisis.

Leota has started at blindside flanker in the first two games against England, but Wallabies coach Dave Rennie will consider using him at lock after Cadeyrn Neville suffered a knee injury in Brisbane, while Darcy Swain is suspended and Jed Holloway is also injured.

Holloway, who has thus far been sidelined with a calf injury, will be closely monitored this week and could be a contender if he passes fitness tests.

Nick Frost, who made his Test debut at Suncorp Stadium in England’s 25-17, is set to start alongside Matt Philip, while Rennie will look at bringing new locks into the squad in preparation for the deciding Ella-Mobbs Trophy game.

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Flanker Rob Leota is set to used as a stopgap secondrower in the deciding Test match. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty

Leota has played lock for Melbourne Rebels, but against a tall English pack it would be quite the challenge in a deciding Test match.

England have also lost a key lineout figure, with Maro Itoje ruled out of Saturday’s game due to concussion.

Also ruled out of the match are Izaia Perese (knee) and Jordan Petaia (concussion), which is likely to see former NRL star Suliasi Vunivalu called up for his Wallabies debut at the SCG.

Prop James Slipper has confidence the back-up players can get the job done next Saturday.

“It’s obviously a test, but I’ve been pretty proud of every bloke that’s come into the jersey,” Slipper said.

“Nick [Frost] did a wonderful job off the bench and one thing I do know is that there is a lot of depth in our squad.

“They’re not there just to make up the numbers, they’re there on merit and they’re really challenging for all those spots.

Suliasi Vunivalu is set to replace the injured Izaia Perese (pictured). Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

Cadeyrn Neville leaves Suncorp Stadium in a medicab. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty

“Certain positions are challenging at the moment, obviously second row is one of them. We’ve lost a few outside backs but we’re pretty blessed in the outside back area, the second row could be interesting.

“I won’t say I’m stressed about it at all, it’s next man up, let’s roll, big game.”

England coach Eddie Jones likened the decider to a World Cup final, and suggested his star prop Ellis Genge had been fired up pre-match by the comments of rival Taniela Tupou.

Tupou had said before the match: “It’s not personal, but it is personal.

“I’ll do what’s best for the team, but obviously you get out there, you want to do better than your opposition.

“He’s going to get out there and try to give it to me, smash me, and I’ll be doing exactly the same thing, get out there and give it to him.”

Jones said: “Certainly Genge was possibly annoyed by what Tupou said, and he wanted to make a mark on the game.”

Slipper said costly errors at key moments in the second half derailed the Wallabies’ hopes of claiming the series in Brisbane.

“I don’t think it went well, we were pretty loose, the scrum went OK but we just gave away too many penalties and probably took the pressure off England,” Slipper said.

“And the mauls really hurt us. I know one thing, there’ll be plenty of mauls at training next week, both defensively and attack.

“Our mauls and lineouts are going well, it’s just big moments that let us down, a crooked throw here, not kicking it out on another one, just really hurt us.”