Wallabies forced to revamp pack
TEAM UPDATE: Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau has succumbed to a hamstring injury and will miss Australia’s clash with South Africa at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Polota-Nau injured his hamstring at Thursday’s training session and was monitored overnight before being ruled out by medical staff.
Brumbies rake Folau Fainga’a will earn his first Test start with Queensland hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa joining the reserves.
The Wallabies have lost just one of their last six games against the Springboks, including a narrow 18-23 win in Brisbane earlier this month.
Saturday’s clash will be the first meeting between the two nations at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, a venue that has proven a happy hunting ground for South Africa with the Springboks yet to lose at the ground.
Australia – revised : 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Israel Folau, 13 Reece Hodge, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Will Genia, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Izack Rodda, 4 Adam Coleman, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Sekope Kepu, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Rory Arnold, 20 Rob Simmons, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Bernard Foley, 23 Jack Maddocks.
Date: Saturday, 29 September 2018
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT 01.00 AEST Sunday, 30 September)
Expected weather: Mainly sunny with a high of 19ºC and a low of 12ºC
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Matthew Carley (England)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)