Wallabies team v Los Pumas: Winners and losers as Joe Schmidt hands ‘great opportunity’ to rookie while record-holder returns

Following the announcement of the Wallabies team to face Los Pumas at Allianz Stadium, here’s our winners and losers from Rassie Erasmus’ selections.

After clinching a thrilling 28-24 victory in the corresponding fixture in Townsville last weekend, Schmidt as made four changes for this Saturday’s encounter in Sydney.

All the alterations are due to injuries with Hunter Paisami and Tane Edmed coming in for Len Ikitau and Tom Lynagh at inside centre and fly-half in the backline, while, amongst the forwards, Jeremy Williams and James Slipper replace Nick Frost and Tom Robertson at lock and loosehead prop respectively.

So without further ado, we unpack the Wallabies side for the Rugby Championship clash and pick out our winners and losers.

Winners

Tane Edmed

With Lynagh dropping out of the matchday squad due to a hamstring injury, Schmidt has called up Edmed for his first ever start at Test level and only his third appearance for the Wallabies.

Despite being inexperienced, the 25-year-old fly-half is a fine playmaker who possesses an excellent skill-set and his selection ahead of James O’Connor, who is much more experienced, shows that Schmidt is backing youth as he continues to build depth in the Wallabies ranks.

For Edmed this is a great opportunity to make an impact in the international arena as his Test debut lasted only three minutes against Ireland last year before he was forced off due to a head knock.

His only other Wallabies appearance was a 40-minute stint during the second half of their loss to the Boks in Cape Town and he will be expected to hit the ground running in Sydney on Saturday.

Hunter Paisami

The Reds centre is set to make his first appearance of the year for the Wallabies after being called up to the run-on side for this encounter as a replacement for Ikitau, who is sidelined due to a laceration on his knee.

Paisami will have big boots to fill as Ikitau has caught the eye with several impressive performances this year and his partnership with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has come on in leaps and bounds since the start of the year.

Despite that, Paisami is an adequate replacement for Ikitau and has already made 31 appearances for the Wallabies. He will be determined to make full use of the opportunity presented to him, with the 27-year-old a brilliant attacker and destructive tackler and his experience should bring a calmness to the Wallabies backline.

Jeremy Williams

The Western Force second-rower was in the Wallabies’ starting line-up for their first two Tests of the year – against Fiji and the British and Irish Lions – but dropped down to the bench when Will Skelton was ruled fit for the last two Tests against the famous touring team and the start of Australia’s Rugby Championship campaign in South Africa.

Williams comes into the run-on side as a replacement for Frost, who misses out through injury, and knows that he has to be at his best as the latter has set high standards for the Wallabies with his lineout and defensive work amongst the areas which he has shone in.

However, Williams is no slouch in either department as he usually has a high work-rate in both. He joins Tom Hooper in the second-row and their partnership will be crucial especially in claiming valuable lineout possession.

James Slipper

The veteran loosehead prop returns to action after sustaining a head knock in the victory against the Springboks in Johannesburg and when he takes to the field Slipper will make his 149th Test appearance for the Wallabies.

The 36-year-old comes in at the expense of Tom Robertson, who drops out of the matchday 23 – after taking Slipper’s position in that second encounter against the Boks in Cape Town.

Slipper’s experience will be invaluable for Australia in this fixture and if he takes to the field he will move ahead of former New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw with the third most appearances at Test level, with only ex-All Blacks lock Sam Whitelock and former Wales second-row Alun Wyn Jones ahead of him on that list.

Lukhan Salakaia-Loto

Wallabies team: Injury crisis worsens as Joe Schmidt finally rewards star for Lions tour heroics

Although he is only amongst the replacements, the 28-year-old utility back is finally rewarded with a Wallabies call-up after delivering several outstanding performances against the British & Irish Lions during their recent tour of Australia.

He represented the Reds, the AUNZ Invitational XV and the First Nations & Pasifika XV in matches against the tourists and was at the forefront of each of those team’s forward onslaughts.

Equally at home on the blindside flank or in the second-row, Salakaia-Loto will have to hit the ground running when he takes to the field as the Wallabies look to continue with their winning form in the Rugby Championship.

Losers

Tom Lynagh

After being forced off in the Wallabies’ final Test against the Lions due to concussion, the young playmaker spent just over a month on the sidelines which meant he missed the matches against the Springboks in South Africa.

However, he made his return to action in last weekend’s triumph over Argentina in Townsville but he suffered another setback when he picked up a hamstring strain which ruled him out of this weekend’s encounter in Sydney.

With first choice Wallabies number 10 Noah Lolesio currently injured and set to move to Japan, Lynagh has received Schmidt’s backing as his next choice for the number 10 jersey, but the successive setbacks which he suffered will be frustrating for the 22-year-old as he looks to cement his spot in the run-on side.

James O’Connor

After starting the first two Rugby Championship Tests against the Springboks, and playing a leading role in the Wallabies’ victory in their shock victory in Johannesburg, the veteran playmaker has to be satisfied with a place on the bench for the second week in a row against Argentina.

Although the 35-year-old impressed in the Wallabies’ epic victory at Ellis Park, he also missed some crucial place-kicks the following weekend in Cape Town which proved costly in his side’s 30-22 defeat.

That led to him being dropped to the replacements bench for last weekend’s clash with Argentina after Lynagh returned to action in Townville. Schmidt has opted to back youth by naming Edmed as Lynagh’s replacement for this weekend’s clash, which means O’Connor will have to be satisfied with a back-up role again.

Len Ikitau

The Exeter Chiefs-bound midfielder has been one of Australia’s best players this season and although Paisami is a capable replacement, Ikitau’s presence will be greatly missed as he shone on attack and defence this year.

Although he has played most of his rugby at outside centre, the 26-year-old has made a smooth transition since taking up the inside centre role to accommodate Suaalii’s introduction in the Wallabies midfield.

The laceration on his knee is a nasty cut which he sustained in the Wallabies’ win over the Boks in Johannesburg and although he played against the world champions in Cape Town and against Argentina with the injury in Townsville, it was still giving him issues and it was decided not to risk him this week.

Nick Frost

After being ever present for the Wallabies in all their previous Tests this year, the Brumbies second-rower misses out on selection for this weekend’s eagerly anticipated clash due to a back issue.

That will be a setback for Australia as the 25-year-old has been their go-to-man in the lineouts and after three rounds of Rugby Championship action, Frost has won the second most lineouts in the competition (12) behind New Zealand’s Fabian Holland (15).

Apart from his impressive lineout work, Frost also has a high work-rate on defence and is a willing ball carrier whose presence will be missed in Sydney on Saturday.

Tom Robertson

The 31-year-old front-rower is comfortable on both sides of the scrum but found the going tough in the set-piece against Los Pumas in Townsville which resulted in him being replaced at half-time by Angus Bell, who went on to score the Wallabies’ match-winning try in that fixture.

Bell has retained his spot on the replacements bench and with the experienced Slipper coming back into the starting line-up, after overcoming his concussion, Robertson is the big loser as he drops out of the matchday squad.

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