Australia head coach Joe Schmidt has rung the changes to his side for the final game of their November series against Ireland on Saturday, with six alterations to the team which lost to Scotland last weekend.
Highly-rated centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has recovered from injury to be included alongside Len Ikitau in midfield.
Suaalii lasted 30 minutes of Saturday’s 27-13 loss in Edinburgh before a tackle left him clutching his wrist but has been cleared to start in the Aviva Stadium this weekend
Experienced props James Slipper and Taniela Tupou return to the starting team while lock Nick Frost is back after an illness which ruled him out of the Scotland Test. Fraser McReight is the other change in the pack as he takes over from Carlo Tizzano on the side of the scrum.
The only other change to the team, which was named on Thursday, is among the backs and sees speedster Max Jorgensen starting on the left wing in place of last weekend’s debutant Harry Potter, who drops to the bench.
Schmidt returns to the Lansdowne Road venue as a coach for the first time since he departed the Ireland hot-seat in 2019, having presided over a mini-revival for the Wallabies after their 2023 annus horribilis, with wins over England and Wales this month.
The Wallabies are seeking their first win in Dublin since the 32-15 win in November 2013, which happened to be only Schmidt’s second game in charge of Ireland. It remains Australia’s only win away to Ireland since the turn of the century.
Since then, the Aussies have lost their last three games in the Aviva, in 2014, 2016 and 2022, albeit on narrow three-point margins.
Australia: Tom Wright; Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen; Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon; James Slipper, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt)
Replacements: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Tane Edmed, Harry Potter.
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