Injury carnage as Wallabies make big playmaker change for France Test

TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Declan Meredith will debut against France as the reconfigured Wallabies paper the cracks created by more soft-tissue injury carnage in Brisbane.

The Brumbies flyhalf will wear the No.10 against the back-to-back Six Nations champions at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday.

And Queensland fullback Jock Campbell, one of the side’s best in his first Test in nearly four years against Ireland a week ago, has been replaced by Tom Wright and redeployed as a shock playmaking back-up option off the bench.

It comes with the first and second-choice No.10s in the two-point loss to Ireland – Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson – both suffering calf injuries.

Gordon has been ruled out of the next two Tests against France and Italy, while Donaldson was running laps on the adjoining Ballymore field wearing a compression sleeve on his injured leg on Thursday.

The eighth-ranked hosts will also be without influential flanker Tom Hooper (shoulder) as they attempt to avoid a sixth-straight Test loss for the first time in 10 years.

Campbell and Meredith, the 25-year-old from Cairns who impressed in the nation’s capital this Super Rugby Pacific season, were in deep discussions with coach Joe Schmidt before training commenced.

Schmidt considers the in-form Campbell a potential No.10 option, despite him never starting for the Reds in that position.

He’ll likely get the chance to show his playmaking potential on his home ground, with versatile Queensland back Filipo Daugunu called onto the bench alongside Nick Champion de Crespigny in the only other changes to the side.

Schmidt has not yet replaced Gordon in the squad, but former Reds flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips who will join the Western Force next season, has trained with the side this week without being in contention for selection.

Tom Lynagh, who started at No.10 in all three Tests against the British and Irish Lions last year, continues to recover from a leg injury while Meredith was favoured ahead of fellow Test playmaker Tane Edmed at the Brumbies this season.

It opens the door for a Bernard Foley return ahead of the Perth Test against Italy, the veteran flyhalf again in the picture as he eyes a return to Australian rugby following six years of Japanese club rugby.

Meredith will have Brumbies teammate Ryan Lonergan alongside him at halfback, while he’s also played plenty of football with star pair Len Ikitau and Rob Valetini in Canberra.

Replacement lock Lachlan Shaw, yellow-carded on debut in Sydney, has retained his place ahead of a likely second Test appearance.

“The group has reset this week in Brisbane after what was a tough ending to the first game of the Nations Championship,” Schmidt said.

“We have worked hard on continuing to improve after missing some vital opportunities last weekend.

“We know we can be better on Saturday and we know that we will need to be against the back-to-back Six Nations Champions.”

France, beaten by two points in Christchurch by the All Blacks last Saturday, will name their team later on Thursday.

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Josh Nasser, 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Lachlan Shaw, 20 Nick Champion de Crespigny, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Jock Campbell, 23 Filipo Daugunu.

Date: Saturday, July 11
Venue: Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Kick-off: 17.40 (09.40 CEST; 07.40 GMT)
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley (England) & Katsuki Furuse (Japan)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)