Influential skipper Michael Hooper might be absent, but Australia will seek to end their autumn tour on a high against a “battered and bruised” Wales missing 20 frontline players through injury.
Australia’s quest for a maiden win on their end-of-year tour has suffered a hammer blow with news that arguably their best player will miss Saturday’s Test against Wales due to injury.
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper has rejected suggestions from Eddie Jones that Australia are spurred on by an “inferiority complex” when it comes to playing England.
Michael Hooper has downplayed becoming the most-capped Wallabies skipper in history, instead focusing on how to take down the world champion Springboks for the second time in six days.
All Blacks skipper Sam Whitelock says his Wallabies counterpart, Michael Hooper, had contacted him at the height of the Rugby Championship feud between New Zealand Rugby and Rugby Australia.
We take a look at five international stars, including two World Cup-winning captains, who were eligible to represent other countries in Test rugby.
Dave Rennie has included 11 uncapped players in the Wallabies squad while there was also a recall for Sitaleki Timani eight years after his last Test appearance.
Vengeance will be up for grabs when the 2014 Waratahs line up in Christchurch to take on the 2008 Crusaders in Game 3 of the Greatest Super Rugby Team tournament.
Head coach Dave Rennie has included three uncapped players in Australia’s run-on lineup for their Bledisloe Test against the All Blacks in Wellington on Sunday.
The Western Force and Waratahs have made several changes to their lineups for Friday’s Super Rugby AU match in Queensland.
