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Taniela Tupou out of Australia clash against Fiji

Taniela Tupou with ball in hand for the Wallabies. Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images

Fears of an injury to Taniela Tupou have been confirmed today, as the tighthead prop has been omitted from Australia’s team to face Fiji on Sunday in Saint-Etienne in their crucial Pool C encounter.

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Scrum-half Nic White will start for Australia, with the 33-year-old being the only change in the back-line from the team that beat Georgia last weekend. He replaces Tate McDermott, who misses out on the match after failing an HIA in round one. With White moving into the starting XV, the Western Force’s Issak Fines-Leleiwasa will start on the bench.

Head coach Eddie Jones has made two changes in the pack. James Slipper comes in to replace the injured Tupou, and Nick Frost will partner captain Will Skelton in the second-row. Frost replaces Richie Arnold, who has dropped to the bench.

Elsewhere on the bench, Jordan Uelese replaces last week’s substitute hooker Matt Faessler, while Langi Gleeson drops out of the matchday squad as well and is replaced by the demoted Arnold.

The Wallabies currently top Pool C on points difference after one round of action, although they are level with Wales on five points. Meanwhile, Fiji lost their opening match in a nail-biter against Wales, so Jones and his entire squad will be acutely aware that they will be facing a team that will be fighting to stay in the World Cup on Sunday.

Wallabies XV
1. Angus Bell
2. David Porecki
3. James Slipper
4. Nick Frost
5. Will Skelton (c)
6. Tom Hooper
7. Fraser McReight
8. Rob Valentini
9. Nic White
10. Carter Gordon
11. Marika Koroibete
12. Samu Kerevi
13. Jordan Petaia
14. Mark Nawaqanitawase
15. Ben Donaldson

Replacements:
16. Jordan Uelese
17. Blake Schoupp
18. Zane Nonggorr
19. Richie Arnold
20. Rob Leota
21. Issak Fines-Leleiwasa
22. Lalakai Foketi
23. Suliasi Vunivalu

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Rugby World Cup

Pool A
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
France
2
2
0
0
8
2
Italy
1
1
0
0
5
3
New Zealand
1
0
1
0
0
4
Uruguay
1
0
1
0
0
5
Namibia
1
0
1
0
0
Pool B
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Ireland
1
1
0
0
5
2
South Africa
1
1
0
0
4
3
Tonga
0
0
0
0
0
4
Scotland
1
0
1
0
0
5
Romania
1
0
1
0
0
Pool C
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Australia
1
1
0
0
5
2
Wales
1
1
0
0
5
3
Fiji
1
0
1
0
2
4
Portugal
0
0
0
0
0
5
Georgia
1
0
1
0
0
Pool D
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
Japan
1
1
0
0
5
2
England
1
1
0
0
4
3
Samoa
0
0
0
0
0
4
Argentina
1
0
1
0
0
5
Chile
1
0
1
0
0
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J
JW 41 minutes ago
Leicester Fainga'anuku denied All Blacks eligibility for TRC

I don’t get that. I got the opposite, this was something Lester really really wanted to do. NZR is not going to stop him doing that by putting ridiculous money in front of him (noted you were only asking for fair money).


I wouldn’t say this was a Mo’unga or Frizell situation where there talent only was unlocked after they signed abroad, when Schmidt and Ryan came in respectively. LF was on a good trajectory, and he just decided he has the perfect window of opportunity to go abroad while he’s not first choice, learn and live in France to come back better and have a good shot at the perfect age. I think he recongised that.


Agreed that our rotation has been off the the last decade, players have not been moved on when they should, but I wouldn’t include Rieko in that discussion, though I would accept he is more of a marketing than performance signing.


Also agree it is a strange condunrum that results from the misalligned seasons, where Lester is straight into NPC in the same season almost. When really the ‘start’ of his contract is next year. Is he even going to be on the payroll at the moment? Could it be used as a double dip to encourage players back, a ‘bonus international season’ of match fees.


But they also don’t want them to become anymore common. So perhaps everything is fine? Like I was alluding to with Toko, they would need multiple markers of their own in Top 14 for them to be able to gauge off. As I’ve said in previous articles I’d be comfortable to expand sabbaticals to 2 in every position (yes a huge change), so that the was a core group of 30 of the top players all aligned with the ABs and overseas at any one time. This would ensure there are good markers to correlate levels of performance amongst everyone. This is a very similar setup/size to South Africa. It is like the AB modem in a wider organism, the vets are shipped off much earlier, and the core of next cycle is brought through. No missing out on the JGPs or Aki’s, no the Antonio’s or young Patrick Tuifua’s to france, keeping the Chandler Cunningham-South’s or Roots brothers, evan this Dubious guy from the French team was playing rugby here in NZ and could have stayed with a more ground up focus on bringing players through, not paying them much etc lol

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