Experienced forward answers Wallabies SOS after double injury blow on the eve of British and Irish Lions finale
Wallabies hookers Dave Porecki and Brandon Paenga-Amosa.
The Wallabies have been dealt a hammer blow on the eve of the final Test match against the British and Irish Lions with Dave Porecki withdrawing from the fixture.
Australia are aiming to avoid a 3-0 series defeat to the touring side after narrowly losing in Brisbane and Melbourne, but have been handed yet another injury setback with experienced hooker Porecki pulling out of the match due to an injury he sustained in training.
Late Lions changes
His withdrawal means that Billy Pollard has been elevated from the bench and into the starting XV, with Western Force hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa added to the bench.
The Wallabies confirmed that Porecki suffered a heel injury in training on Thursday, while fellow hooker Matt Faessler also sustained a calf strain that ruled him out, leading to a call-up and inclusion on the bench for Paenga-Amosa.
If he does take to the field on Saturday, it will be the fourth time that Paenga-Amosa has faced the British and Irish Lions on this tour having already played against Andy Farrell’s side while representing the Western Force, AUNZ Invitational XV and the First Nations and Pasifika XV.
“Obviously gutted to lose a few great players in Porecki and [Faessler],” Wallabies captain Harry Wilson told reporters.
“We’ve got a lot of confidence in Brandon. He’s been around this group for quite a long time over the last year, year and a half.
“He’s obviously versed the Lions three times I believe so he’s got a lot of confidence and he’s come into the group and he’s fit in very quickly.”
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Updated Wallabies team for Test III
Wallabies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Nic White, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Tom Hooper, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Billy Pollard, 1 James Slipper
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Andrew Kellaway
Date: Saturday, August 2
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Kick-Off: 8:00pm AEST, 11:00am BST
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (GRU)
Assistant Referees: Ben O’Keeffe (NZR), Andrea Piardi (FIR)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SARU)
FPRO: Richard Kelly (NZR)
