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Wallabies quartet cleared of injury ahead of Waratahs' quarter-final

06 Jun 2023

(Photo by Mark Tantrum/Getty Images)

The NSW Waratahs’ hopes of an Auckland upset have received a boost with a Wallabies quartet cleared of injury ahead of their Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final against the Blues.

Jed Holloway, Langi Gleeson, Izzy Perese and Lalakai Foketi all passed fitness tests to take their place in the starting side for their do-or-die encounter on Friday night at Eden Park.

Wallabies hooker Dave Porecki will also return after missing their shock final-round home loss to Moana Pasifika, with coach Darren Coleman making six changes to the starting team.

Porecki is part of a new-look front row alongside Archer Holz and Tetera Faulkner, with Holloway taking the place of Hugh Sinclair in the second row.

Gleeson has overcome a back injury to start at No.8 ahead of Taleni Seu.

Newly re-signed Foketi will return to inside centre in his first appearance since round 11, partnering Joey Walton.

The back three remains from Moana with Perese and Dylan Pietsch on the wings and Mark Nawaqanitwase at 15.

Harrison Goddard will wear the No.9 jumper for the second time with Waratahs captain Jake Gordon unavailable due to concussion protocols.

Striving to become the first Australian side to win a finals match in New Zealand in 27 years of Super Rugby, Coleman said the team planned to play like they had nothing to lose.

The Waratahs have lost their past eight games against the Blues, including a record 55-21 defeat last month, and have won only once at Eden Park in 14 Super Rugby meetings since 1996.

“We understand the enormity of the opposition on their home patch, but it’s something we look forward to ripping into,” Coleman said.

“We’ve had a good short week of prep and will play like a team with nothing to lose.”

NSW: Tetera Faulkner, David Porecki, Archer Holz, Jed Holloway, Ned Hanigan, Lachlan Swinton, Michael Hooper (capt), Langi Gleeson, Harrison Goddard, Ben Donaldson, Dylan Pietsch, Lalakai Foketi, Joey Walton, Izaia Perese, Mark Nawaqanitawase. Reserves: Mahe Vailanu, Tom Lambert, Nephi Leatigaga, Taleni Seu, Charlie Gamble, Teddy Wilson, Tane Edmed, Harry Wilson.

Comments

1 Comment

Phillip 776 days ago

I was at the Moana game, and while Mark Nawaqanitwase is a fantastic player and athlete in his own right, he seemed to struggle at 15. I hope I'm wrong, and he has an absolute bolter against the blues, I do have my concerns on if he is up to the assignment.

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Comments on RugbyPass

NB 2 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Tbh I don’t think either 10 played particularly well JW.

266 Go to comments

NB 7 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Yes these guys may not stick around for long but they can still impact the game positively with their ideas.

266 Go to comments

NB 9 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Yes no reason for Razor to just chuck him in at the deep end at 10. Why not give him a chance to succeed at the spot he knows best first?

266 Go to comments

NB 14 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Defence is a little bit of a problem at 10. Ramos is not a good front line defender and Jalibert’s frailties are known. So who is the best newcomer in behind Ntamack? Hugo Reus?

266 Go to comments

BA 17 minutes ago

All Black Leicester Fainga’anuku's NPC return confirmed

12/13/ wing for the bench I reckon

15 Go to comments

NB 17 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

I think you’re underselling Hastoy a little bit there S. I reckon he’s a better player than that, nor am I convinced Ntamack is such a great game manager at 10 without a strong influence at 9 like Lucu or Dupont inside him. Hastoy takes on more responsibility at LAR than Ntamack does with Toulouse. And I certainly do not know why they started Segonds ahead of him in the first two Tests. Was he unfit?

266 Go to comments

Jimmy 18 minutes ago

The stat in which the Springboks outperformed everyone fivefold in July

All Black pundits blowing smoke………🤔

2 Go to comments

BA 22 minutes ago

Nobody runs the show like Beauden - Why the All Blacks need Barrett now, and at Rugby World Cup 2027

I thought it was a sabbatical which he has had twice?

44 Go to comments

JW 24 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Even though they drew with France last year?

I haven’t watched the games or followed URC to know if its those same form players though. We’ll have to revisit this come 6N time.

266 Go to comments

NB 26 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Not sure about the Auradou-Brennan equation. I think Auradou is a lineout caller so that may count heavily in his favour.

Depoortere is a good un, but I feel he is already ‘there’ in Galthie’s thoughts before hte tour ever happened! Part of the 2027 group, if you like rather than a newcomer to it.

Mallez I will watch with interest, esp if he can play both sides of the scrum as someone said.

266 Go to comments

JW 26 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

Correct by Nick??!! HAHAHAHA he doesn’t even watch SR dude lol

And as I have probably told you already (and Nick has made the point many times as well if you like him as your prophet) one off games do you a lot of good.

Fair enough though that 2017 season was a good go at it, it’s just 2025 now Fran.

You clearly do not follow All Black rugby to a great extent, they are a heavily ‘development’ focused team. They have to be, they live on the smell of an oily rag.

266 Go to comments

JW 30 minutes ago

Two All Blacks praised as 'potential superstars' in France whitewash

Haven’t seen the French scrum go so far backwards until this last test…

40 Go to comments

JW 31 minutes ago

Two All Blacks praised as 'potential superstars' in France whitewash

I can go along with that be we all know to take domestic footy with a grain of salt comparing to internationals. We have just had an example of this from France with all their form guys getting selected over hardened international players and losing badly.

40 Go to comments

JW 34 minutes ago

All Blacks squeeze past France to sweep July series in Hamilton

Well he is, hes saying what happens with these ‘halves’ doesn’t effect ‘moments’, which is absurd.

Yes the All Blacks have been poor in the second half because they’ve lost ‘moments’. Those ‘moments’ happen in certain conditions that occur in the second half LOL!

118 Go to comments

Jfp123 39 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

It will be great if Jalibert improves in defence, but unless and until he improves substantially, I think he should be out of the running for the national team. If you look at the French A side, attack is not usually so much of a problem - they scored 200 points in the last 6 nations without MJ on the pitch. Defence however can be an issue, Penaud isn’t the greatest in that area for a start. So a 10 who is solid in defence is badly needed. And given his poor defence record, MJ would be bound to be targeted by shrewd coaches like Rassi and Razor, so he needs to be able to withstand that.

Also, given sufficient improvement in defence, there are still factors which tell against MJ. I think the 7/1 bench has been a very successful experiment, and for that you need flexible backs who can play in more than one position in case of injury. Then there’s how well the 10 plays with France’s best 9, Dupont. And even if you think MJ is better when there’s no Dupont or 7/1 split, stability in a test team is important, so it’s better not to go chopping and changing the 10 needlessly. There’s also the question of temperament - MJ doesn’t shine at his brightest when it really matters, eg WC quarters and Top14 finals, and look at his test record over the past 2 years.

I see Ntamack as by far the best option at 10. Rugby is a team game, and apart from his excellent defence, there’s his partnership with Dupont, his versatility, and all the other skills that go to making a great team player and a great 10. He’s excellent under the high ball, an area where France tend to have a weakness, and has fine strategic and team management skills, great handling skills and so on.

While having star quality is important, it’s not the be all and end all, as illustrated by UBB this season. Imo, though undoubtedly very good, they underperformed. With best wings, best 9, as Dupont barely played in the Top14, with Jalibert and leading centres and 15, plus a strengthened forward pack, they couldn’t match ST in points scored, despite the latter’s huge injury list which left some positions seriously weakened, at least on paper.

For next season, I hope ST are back to their scintillating best with injuries healed, that LBB is back to rude health for UBB, that the exciting promise of La Rochelle’s and Toulon’s new recruits bears fruit, Bayonne continue to defy their budget and we have a cracking, highly competitive Top14 and Les Bleus triumphant in the autumn internationals and six nations!

266 Go to comments

JW 43 minutes ago

Why New Zealand learned more from their July series than France

As pointed out by Nick and the French posters their players can’t cope with both (even sharing the July window like they have been), players are still too exhausted even through the season. And if the french government is going to crackdown even further on them they’re simply going to have/want to change for their own good.