Declan Meredith will make his Test debut for the Wallabies against France in the Nations Championship on Saturday, as Australia grapple with a mounting injury toll. The ACT Brumbies flyhalf will wear the No. 10 jersey at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane against the back-to-back Six Nations champions.
Injury crisis forces changes
The Wallabies have lost first-choice flyhalf Carter Gordon and second-choice Ben Donaldson to calf injuries sustained in the two-point loss to Ireland. Gordon has been ruled out of the next two Tests against France and Italy, while Donaldson was seen running laps wearing a compression sleeve on his injured leg on Thursday. Flanker Tom Hooper is also unavailable due to a shoulder injury, as the eighth-ranked hosts aim to avoid a sixth consecutive Test loss for the first time in a decade.
Queensland full-back Jock Campbell, who impressed in his first Test in nearly four years against Ireland, has been replaced in the starting XV by Tom Wright. Campbell will provide playmaking cover from the bench, a role coach Joe Schmidt is keen to explore despite Campbell never starting at flyhalf for the Reds.
Schmidt's selection strategy
Schmidt has not yet replaced Gordon in the squad, but former Reds flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, who will join the Western Force next season, has trained with the side this week without being in contention for selection. Tom Lynagh, who started at No. 10 in all three Tests against the British and Irish Lions last year, continues to recover from a leg injury. Meredith was favoured ahead of fellow Test playmaker Tane Edmed at the Brumbies this season.
This opens the door for a potential Bernard Foley return ahead of the Perth Test against Italy, with the veteran flyhalf eyeing a return to Australian rugby after six years in Japan.
Team cohesion and preparation
Meredith will have Brumbies teammate Ryan Lonergan alongside him at half-back, and he has played extensively with star pair Len Ikitau and Rob Valetini in Canberra. Replacement lock Lachlan Shaw, yellow-carded on debut in Sydney, retains his place for a likely second Test appearance.
“The group has reset this week in Brisbane after what was a tough ending to the first game of the Nations Championship,” Schmidt said. “We have worked hard on continuing to improve after missing some vital opportunities last weekend. We know we can be better on Saturday and we know that we will need to be against the back-to-back Six Nations Champions.”
Opponents and match details
France, beaten by two points in Christchurch by the All Blacks last Saturday, will name their team later on Thursday. The Wallabies XV: Angus Bell, Josh Nasser, Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Canham, Jeremy Williams, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson, Ryan Lonergan, Declan Meredith, Dylan Pietsch, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright. Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Lachlan Shaw, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Tate McDermott, Jock Campbell, Filipo Daugunu.
