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Sean McMahon set to be named for Wallabies return
By AAP
Backrower Sean McMahon is set to play his first Test in nearly four years after being named on the bench for the Wallabies' Rugby Championship clash with Argentina on Saturday.
The 27-year-old is among the changes as the Australians gun for an unprecedented fourth successive win in the four-nations tournament.
They overcame the Pumas 27-8 in Townsville last Saturday, with the CBus Super Stadium match on the Gold Coast their last of the championship.
McMahon has been playing in Japan for Top League side Suntory after leaving the Melbourne Rebels at the end of 2017, with his last Test against Scotland in late November that year.
Renowned for his physicality, he was a member of the 2015 World Cup squad and while contracted in Japan until the beginning of 2023 he could still play at the next tournament in France.
Brought back into the Wallabies fold by coach Dave Rennie, McMahon could be taken on Australia's Spring tour of Europe, where the team will play Scotland, England and Wales as well as Japan en route.
While McMahon is a new face, Marika Koroibete will be missing from the line-up to be announced later on Thursday.
The powerhouse winger has returned to Melbourne to spend extra time with his family, including a newborn, before the Wallabies head to the UK at the end of October.
Youngster Jordan Petaia is tipped to start on the wing as his replacement.
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Latest Comments
i think Argentina v France could be a good game too, depending on which Argentina turns up. The most difficult to call is Scotland Australia.
Go to commentsSmith is playing a different game with the rest of the backs struggling to understand. That's the problem with so called playmakers, if nobody gets what they're doing then it often just leads to a turnover. It gets worse when Borthwick changes one of them, which is why they don't score points at the end. Sometimes having a brilliant playmaker can be problematic if a team cannot be built around them. Once again Borthwick seems lacking in either coaching or selection. I can't help but think it's the latter coupled with pressure to select the big name players.
Lastly, his forward replacements are poor and exposed either lack of depth or selection pressure. Cole hemorrhages scrum penalties whenever he comes on, opponents take advantage of the England scrum and close out the game. Is that the best England can offer?
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