Wallabies team: Joe Schmidt makes bold changes dropping experienced trio for ‘high-tempo All Blacks’

Jared Wright
Australia winger Marika Koroibete and Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt.

Joe Schmidt has made two alternations to his starting XV ahead of the second Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks.

Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt has made two alterations to his starting XV ahead of the second Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks.

Schmidt has surprisingly dropped star winger Marika Koroibete from the team entirely after the experienced speedster started four straight matches for Australia, against South Africa, Argentina (twice) and New Zealand.

Koroibete has been replaced by Western Force speedster Dylan Pietsch in the starting XV while the only other change in the side sees Jake Gordon come in for Nic White, with the latter also dropping out of the 23.

Wallabies team v All Blacks

Pietsch earns his first start for the Wallabies after featuring three times off the bench. He will combine with full-back Tom Wright and right winger Andrew Kellaway in the back three at Sky Stadium in Wellington.

Schmidt has retained Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau as the starting midfielders while Gordon slots in alongside fly-half Noah Lolesio.

For the first time since the 2023 Rugby World Cup last year, the Wallabies have an unchanged pack for back-to-back matches.

Angus Bell, Matt Faessler and Taniela Tupou will again start in the front-row while Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams complete the tight-five.

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Fraser McReight is again the openside flanker with Rob Valetini lining up as the blindside flanker in his 48th Test and Harry Wilson captaining the team from the number eight jumper.

There’s further changes on the bench with Isaac Kailea replacing James Slipper in the number 17 jersey and providing front-row cover along with hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and tighthead prop Allan Alaalatoa.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto will add experience and impact in the second-row while Langi Gleeson retains his place on the bench after a telling cameo last time out. The bench is completed with half-backs Tate McDermott and Ben Donaldson as well as versatile Queenslander Josh Flook.

Wallabies coach Schmidt said: “We didn’t help ourselves last weekend falling behind early to a fast-moving, high-tempo All Blacks side.

“We know we will need to start better than we did last week, with the physical edge and accuracy required.”

Australia will look to end their Rugby Championship campaign on a high but will know that even a victory over the All Blacks will not see them finish higher than last place on the overall table.

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Australia team v All Blacks

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Dylan Pietsch, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Harry Wilson (c), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Jeremy Williams, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Angus Bell
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Josh Flook

Date: Saturday, 28 September
Venue: Sky Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (England), Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)

Local kick-off: 19:05
GMT kick-off: 07:05
BST kick-off: 08:05
AUS (AEST) kick-off: 17:05
RSA kick-off: 09:05
ARG kick-off: 
04:05

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