Wallabies: Folau Fainga’a ruled out as Lachlan Lonergan steps in to start Rugby Championship clash with Pumas

Adam Kyriacou 13 Aug 2022 10:25 AM

Australia have been forced into a late change to their starting side that will face Argentina after Folau Fainga’a was ruled out due to injury.

The powerful hooker has been replaced in the XV by Lachlan Lonergan, who will make his first Test start, while the uncapped Billy Pollard is a replacement.

Fainga’a was ruled out on the eve of the San Juan international after concussion symptoms emerged from a Thursday training session, it has been confirmed.

The Wallabies are already without Dave Porecki (concussion), Michael Hooper (mental health), Quade Cooper (Achilles), Hunter Paisami (concussion) and Allan Ala’alatoa (family bereavement) from the early-tournament tour to Argentina.

Meteoric rise for Billy Pollard

It has been a meteoric rise for hooker Pollard as he has only featured in eight Super Rugby matches as he joins prop Pone Fa’amausili as a possible new cap.

Stand-in captain and loosehead James Slipper is confident, however, that both Lonergan and Pollard will produce the goods in the Rugby Championship clash.

“Lonners (Lonergan) has been playing really well this year and it is another good opportunity for him,” prop Slipper explained at their final training session.

“It’s his first start for the Wallabies and one thing you know about ‘Noss’ is that he looks very calm, but when he’s out there he goes full throttle so I am really excited to see how he goes.”

Such was the rush for Pollard to fly over to Argentina as a late replacement, Slipper has hinted that he believes the hooker has forgotten his rugby boots.

“Billy obviously came over late and he has been using my scrum boots all week so I am not even sure if he has his own boots,” the loosehead prop joked.

“He is a talented young guy who is really excited and you can tell how pumped he is so what you get from youth is that enthusiasm and I reckon both of them will bring heaps.”

Brumbies coach will help transition

He added: “For the players coming in, it’s not incredibly new to them.

“There is not much detail uptake to be done, so they’re pretty comfortable with everything they need to know and having Dan (McKellar) here is a big help for them, having the same coach.

“They’re pretty comfortable. They don’t seem nervous at all but let’s wait until tomorrow I guess.”

Australia (revised): 15 Tom Wright, 14 Jordan Petaia, 13 Len Ikitau, 12 Lalakai Foketi, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Nic White, 8 Rob Valetini, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Jed Holloway, 5 Darcy Swain, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 James Slipper (c)
Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Matt Gibbon, 18 Pone Fa’amausili, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Pete Samu, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Irae Simone, 23 Reece Hodge

Australia