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The changes have come thick and fast, with Wallabies coach Dave Rennie making six changes – and seven positional changes – to his run-on side for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the Springboks.
Rather than being a sign of desperation, the vast majority are first-choice players returning after the Wallabies were hit hard on and off the field in recent months. Could Rennie have been more daring? Absolutely.
But the returns of Noah Lolesio and Reece Hodge still speak volumes of where this Wallabies side are under third-year international coach Rennie.
Both were fit for the tour of Argentina, where the Wallabies started with a bang and then fell off a cliff in the second Test in San Juan, but Lolesio was dropped and Hodge came off the bench in both encounters.
How the pair fare will have a strong say in who comes out on top, with the Wallabies close to being at full strength up front with only Angus Bell and skipper Michael Hooper missing.
In the absence of Quade Cooper (Achilles) and James O’Connor (dropped), Lolesio is back in the driver’s seat.
But it still feels as if Lolesio has yet to graduate from his learners licence, with Rennie hesitant to back the 22-year-old in the international cauldron.
For now he has been given another chance in what will be his 13th Test and fourth in 2022, with Japanese-based Bernard Foley to continue to get up to speed after only joining the squad on Sunday.
Hodge, meanwhile, resumes his own roller-coaster career where he has been brought in to try and solve the fullback crisis.
It’s not the first time he has worn the No.15 jersey, but his own inability to nail the role has seen him add to uncertainty plaguing the role.
He will face few tougher Tests than standing at the back against the Springboks.
Last year in Brisbane the versatile back struggled under the high ball.
Yet he has been brought in because Tom Wright, who has been given a reprieve on the right-wing, was brutally exposed at the back by Argentina and Hodge has been backed to repel the kick-heavy Boks.
Hunter Paisami, meanwhile, adds some starch in the midfield, returning at inside centre after missing the 48-17 defeat because of concussion.
Up front and hooker Folau Fainga’a (concussion) and Allan Alaalatoa (personal reasons) return after also missing the Test, which makes it an all-Brumbies front-row.
Matt Philip joins Rory Arnold in the second-row, while the back-row remains the same with Hooper still missing.
Rennie has once again opted for a forwards heavy six-two bench split, with Hodge to cover the fly-half position.
Hooker Dave Porecki (concussion) and prop Scott Sio (shoulder) join Taniela Tupou on the bench.
Lock Darcy Swain drops back to the bench and joins Rob Leota and Pete Samu as back five forward replacements.
While versatile back Andrew Kellaway joins livewire halfback Tate McDermott as the two replacement backs.
The Wallabies have not been beaten by the Springboks on home soil since 2013 but that statistic will firmly come under pressure on Saturday.
Jacques Nienaber’s side are coming off two Tests against the All Blacks, the latter of which they lost 35-23 in a thriller at Ellis Park. It means the world champions will be after blood, with the TRC up for grabs with just one point separating all four southern hemisphere powers.
For the Wallabies, Saturday’s Test looms as a significant one on the road to next year’s World Cup in France.
There are now just 14 Tests before the Wallabies’ World Cup opener and Marika Koroibete and Rob Valetini are the only two players certain to start from the XV named to face the Springboks.
Wallabies team to play Springboks
1. James Slipper (c) (119 Tests)
2. Folau Fainga’a (30 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (56 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (30 Tests)
5. Matt Philip (24 Tests)
6. Jed Holloway (2 Tests)
7. Fraser McReight (4 Tests)
8. Rob Valetini (23 Tests)
9. Nic White (52 Tests)
10. Noah Lolesio (12 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (47 Tests)
12. Hunter Paisami (18 Tests)
13. Len Ikitau (17 Tests)
14. Tom Wright (14 Tests)
15. Reece Hodge (57 Tests)
Replacements
16. David Porecki (3 Tests)
17. Scott Sio (71 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (42 Tests)
19. Darcy Swain (13 Tests)
20. Rob Leota (10 Tests)
21. Pete Samu (24 Tests)
22. Tate McDermott (17 Tests)
23. Andrew Kellaway (14 Tests)
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