Ollie who Rookie prop to make Wallabies debut as Beale named at fullback

The Wallabies’ worst fears have been confirmed with props Taniela Tupou and Allan Alaalatoa ruled out of the weekend’s clash against England due to concussion, leaving coach Dave Rennie with no option but to shift James Slipper to the tight-head side and debut a rookie who wasn’t even in the squad at the beginning of the week.

A nasty head clash in the loss to Scotland last weekend meant Tupou was little chance of playing against the English, but Alaalatoa’s scratching, despite passing a HIA and playing out the match, has left the Wallabies scrambling ahead of the biggest game of their northern tour.

Ollie Hoskins will make his Test debut on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) against England. Credit:Andrew Phan/Wallabies Media

It means Ollie Hoskins, the former Western Force prop who hasn’t played on Australian shores for five years, will come off a Wallabies bench that also features Tom Robertson and returning France-based hooker Tolu Latu.

Hoskins has played more than 100 games for London Irish in the English Premiership and is now on the cusp of a maiden outing in a gold jersey.

“We’ve had a bit of a setback around tight-head, but we know Slips will bar up,” Rennie said. “We know what’s coming. It was based on need. Slips has got the most experience around tight-head. Tom Robertson has played a bit of tight-head. We prefer him as a loose-head.

“We played Sunday and they needed to be right [on] Monday. We planned if we lost one or both of them we needed a bit of cover, and so we bought Ollie in on Monday.”

Wallabies team to face England

(1-15): Angus Bell, Folau Fainga’a, James Slipper, Rory Arnold, Izack Rodda, Rob Leota, Michael Hooper, Rob Valetini, Nic White, James O’Connor, Tom Wright, Hunter Paisami, Len Ikitau, Andrew Kellaway, Kurtley Beale.

Bench: Tolu Latu, Tom Robertson, Oliver Hoskins, Will Skelton, Pete Samu, Tate McDermott, Noah Lolesio, Izaia Perese

The absence of Tupou in particular leaves a gaping hole in the Wallabies’ pack against an England side looking to make it eight wins on the trot against Australia - the team they dumped out of the 2019 World Cup quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, Jordan Petaia’s hamstring injury has prompted Rennie to tweak his back three and name Kurtley Beale at fullback instead of Andrew Kellaway, who will back shift to the wing where he has been so devastating this year.

It caps a remarkable return to the Wallabies starting XV for Beale, whose bench cameo in last week’s narrow loss and Test experience in the No.15 jersey convinced Rennie he was the best man for the job.

“We think Kells is a better wing than fullback He’s been outstanding for us on the wing,” Rennie said. “His versatility allowed us to move him No.15 last week. We’re keen to move him back. We think there will be a lot of ball put in the air.”

Despite calls for Izaia Perese to start after a strong debut, the Waratahs utility back will bide his time again on the bench.

Rennie confirmed Petaia would take no further part in the tour, therefore missing next week’s final match of the year against Wales.

“It’s not real bad but he won’t recover in time,” Rennie said of Petaia.

Despite a below-par showing against Scotland, where Australia’s five-Test streak was ended, halfback Nic White and No.10 James O’Connor have been given the nod again, while Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau will link up in the centres.

“I think James [O’Connor] was mixed last week … he’ll make the adjustments,” Rennie said. “It’s more around connection ... making sure we’re connected to the forwards and the quality of communication coming from outside. I think we’ll be better for it.”

Rennie has resisted the temptation to start Will Skelton and will continue with last week’s starting second row pair of Rory Arnold and Izack Rodda.

“Happy with how Rodda has been going,” Rennie said. “We have a vigorous discussion around selection and we think Will’s best value is off the bench.”

It will be 757 days since the Wallabies were thumped 40-16 by England at the World Cup, which was Michael Cheika’s last match in charge. Eight of 23 players who featured in that fixture will run out at Twickenham with revenge on their mind.

“We don’t look at history,” Rennie said. “What’s happened in previous years is irrelevant really.”

Jones names Smith and Farrell in England starting team

Eddie Jones has named a strong England XV that features young gun Marcus Smith at No.10 and captain Owen Farrell at No.12 for the match against Australia.

England team to play Australia

(1-15): Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Jonny Hill, Courtney Lawes, Sam Underhill, Tom Curry, Ben Youngs, Marcus Smith, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Henry Slade, Manu Tuilagi, Freddie Steward.

Bench: Jamie Blamire, Bevan Rodd, Will Stuart, Charlie Ewels, Alex Dombrandt, Sam Simmonds, Raffi Quirke, Max Malins

Having won all seven Tests against Rennie’s predecessor Michael Cheika from 2016 to 2019, Jones was quick to stress the importance of the fixture.

“The Australian game is one of the most awaited games of the season,” Jones said. “It’s probably hard for the English to understand what an important game this is for Australia. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Olympics, Test cricket, rugby league, this is the game that defines a season.

“We know the Australian side has had a great run recently. They’ve won five Tests in a row [until a defeat against Scotland]. They’re playing some really good rugby under Dave Rennie. This is a game where they don’t go away. This is a game they want to win. We have a bit of an inferiority complex against the English.”

Jones has opted to pick Smith, one of England’s most hyped playmakers in years, at No.10 for the first time against a tier one nation.

“I’ve been really impressed by him since I’ve been working with him on a daily basis since the summer tour,” Jones said. “He’s progressing in a nice way. It’s his biggest test. He hasn’t played a tier one country yet.”

In doing so, Farrell moves a position wider to inside-centre, while Manu Tuilagi, who has played the majority of his Test career in the midfield, will start on the wing for the first time since 2014.

“The players will mix and match a little on the field to their strengths,” Jones said. “We think it’s the best back line for this game.

“I’ve been involved in I don’t know how many Australia-England games at Twickenham and they always seem to [be decided] in the last 20 minutes. I don’t think this game will be any different.”

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Watch every match of the Wallabies, All Blacks & Springboks Spring Tours on the Home of Rugby, Stan Sport. Continues this weekend featuring Scotland v South Africa (Saturday, 11:50pm AEDT), Ireland v New Zealand (Sunday, 2:05am AEDT) and England v Australia (Sunday, 4:00am AEDT).

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