Will Skelton may have lost his fellow 'bruise brothers' for the third Test, but has warned that things will remain physical in Sydney.
Skelton was injured for the opening Test in Brisbane but, alongside fellow returnee Rob Valetini, made a big impact on his return in Melbourne last week, holding off five Lions in an early scuffle as Joe Schmidt, the Wallabies head coach, got his wish for increased intensity.
However, Valetini, still recovering from a calf injury, is absent at Accor Stadium, while fellow enforcer Allan Alaalatoa also misses out with a shoulder problem.
Skelton, a Champions Cup winner with Saracens and La Rochelle, will again take on the role of chief wrecking ball in front of 85,000 fans as Australia look to avoid a “red wash” in a Test series — something that has not happened since 1904.
“We saw in Melbourne that we need to be physical from the very start — that’s how we score points and play our game,” said the 6ft 8in, 150kg giant, who needs to get his size 18 rugby boots specially made.
“In the first Test in Brisbane, we allowed the Lions to dictate the opening 30 minutes and that laid the foundation for their win. We switched that around in Melbourne. Our job is to do the same again.
“I thought I played OK, but it doesn’t really matter as we lost the match, and I’ve got very high standards. I’m not going out there to rough someone up. My job is to protect my team.”
Skelton, 33, has remarkably played only 32 Tests in the gold jersey since his debut 11 years ago — just a quarter of the Wallabies’ matches since that first cap against France in 2014.
Schmidt knows that forward pressure will be key against a Lions team that has made only three changes for the final match of the series. The attritional nature of last week’s encounter has forced the Wallabies coach into a rethink, both up front and in the backs.
Tighthead prop Taniela Tupou makes his series debut, and scrum half Nic White his farewell appearance, drafted into the starting XV for what will be his 73rd and final Test. Tom Hooper, who is Exeter-bound, replaces Valetini, while Dylan Pietsch starts on the wing in place of the injured Harry Potter.
Tupou was eye-catching for the First Nations Pasifika XV against the Lions and returns fired up with a point to prove.
“Taniela brings a real burst of energy,” Schmidt said. “One of the reasons we’ve made a few changes is that, when everyone’s as flat as they were after Melbourne, bringing a few newer guys in freshens things up. It’s a way to shift the malaise that continued for the 48 hours post-match and get some uplift.”
Billy Pollard is promoted to the front row after training injuries to hookers Dave Porecki and Matt Faessler — a clear sign that intensity has not been lacking this week.
No one in the Wallabies dressing room knows more about the Lions than Brandon Paenga-Amosa, promoted to the bench after the above injuries. This could be his fourth match against the tourists, having turned out for Western Force, the AUNZ Invitational XV and the First Nations Pasifika XV in recent weeks.
Schmidt has made no secret of the key pillars of his Wallabies revival plan — consistency and cohesion — meaning this many changes were never part of the original blueprint.
However, Len Ikitau and NRL recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii are again selected as the midfield pairing for the sixth consecutive Test — and Lions great Brian O’Driscoll knows a good centre when he sees one.
“In Suaalii, the Wallabies have got a crazy talent on their hands. It’s just about getting him quality ball,” said O’Driscoll, an ambassador for Lions principal partner Howden Insurance.
“If he sticks it out, he’ll be an amazing international, but he also needs a lot of help on the inside to give him a platform and opportunity.
“I know he’s been playing a bit of 15 for the Waratahs. The thing at 13 is, he can be creative and destructive — if you get a decent platform, you should be able to show off your skill set.”
Andy Farrell goes with a 6–2 forwards-backs split on his bench, while Schmidt reverts to a 5–3. The decision to field only two backs in reserve in Melbourne has come under scrutiny after the injury to Potter.
“Eighteen months ago, no one gave us a chance of challenging the Lions,” Schmidt added.
“I think in total it’s three tries apiece in the first game, and five tries to three in the second — not nearly as much between the teams as people might have expected.”
