Hickey brings out the heavyweights
Australian U21 team for clash against NZ
Australian coach Chris Hickey has named a heavyweight team to muscle up against New Zealand, in what promises to be a challenging match in their final pool match of the International Rugby Board (IRB) Under-21 World Championship at Stade Darragon, Vichy, France, on Saturday.
Both Australia and New Zealand will go into this match undefeated, having won their first and second pool matches. The trans-Tasman rivalry, living up to its promise as a crowd pleaser, is already a sell-out.
The minor niggling injuries picked up by scrum-half Josh Holmes and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau in the first pool match against Scotland are no longer a worry, both players returning to the run-on team.
Lock James Horwill will be given the chance to start, while Pat O’Connor moves back to the bench. Australian Under-19 representative Anthony Faingaa will run on at outside centre after being a reserve in the first two pool matches, while Tajhon Mailata will wear the number twenty one jersey.
Australia: 15 Caleb Brown, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Anthony Faingaa, 12 Lloyd Johansson (vice-captain), 11 Liam Bibo, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Josh Holmes, 8 Leroy Houston, 7 Julian Salvi (captain), 6 Richard Stanford, 5 James Horwill, 4 Tom Hockings, 3 John Ulugia, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Pek Cowan.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Jack Kennedy, 18 Pat O’Connor, 19 David Haydon, 20 Dominic Fuller, 21 Tajhon Mailata, 22 Lloyd Jones
