Wallabies name six uncapped players for Bok Tests

Australia on Thursday named six uncapped players in their 36-man squad for August’s two Tests against SA as wing Marika Koroibete returned to the Wallabies roster for the first time since the 2023 World Cup.

Angus Bell and Max Jorgensen, who missed July’s three Tests against Wales and Georgia due to injuries, were also named in the squad for the matches against the world champions on August 10 and 17 in Brisbane and Perth.

Uncapped forwards Seru Uru and Luke Reimer were called up as replacements for the injured Fraser McReight and Liam Wright. Carlo Tizzano, Max Jorgensen, Hamish Stewart and Paris Olympian Corey Toole are the other uncapped players picked by head coach Joe Schmidt.

“We know there’s a lot of hard work to do ahead of those Test matches and we’re looking forward to getting back together as a group,” Schmidt said in a statement.

Wallabies squad: 

Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Angus Bell, Angus Blyth, Matt Faessler, Nick Frost, Tom Hooper, Isaac Kailea, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Billy Pollard, Luke Reimer, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Seru Uru, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson. 

Backs: Filipo Daugunu, Ben Donaldson, Josh Flook, Jake Gordon, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Marika Koroibete, Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh, Tate McDermott, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Hamish Stewart, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright 

• Argentina handed Efrain Elias a first call-up and recalled six players to their 31-man squad for their opening two games of the Rugby Championship in New Zealand.

Coach Felipe Contepomi recalled Lucio Cinti, Agustin Creevy, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Tomas Lavanini, Juan Cruz Mallia and Joel Sclavi to the squad after they missed the two-match Test series against France in July, Argentina Rugby Union said.

The 20-year-old Elias, a 2m-tall lock forward, captained Argentina’s team at the World Rugby U20 Championship in SA in July.

Centre Jeronimo de la Fuente, who won his 80th cap against France, has been left out for personal reasons.

“We now have the enormous challenge of starting a new Rugby Championship and continuing to build and evolve as a team,” Contepomi said.

“For the first two matches against New Zealand, we have chosen 31 players but something important to highlight is that this list is not definitive for the rest of the competition but may be modified as the tournament progresses.”

Argentina take on the All Blacks in Wellington on August 10 and then again in Auckland a week later.

They then return home for two Tests against Australia and one against SA before finishing their fixtures away against the World Cup winners in Mbombela in late September.

Argentina squad:

Backs: Tomas Albornoz, Lautaro Bazan Velez, Gonzalo Bertranou, Martin Bogado, Mateo Carreras, Santiago Carreras, Santiago Chocobares, Lucio Cinti, Santiago Cordero, Bautista Delguy, Gonzalo Garcia, Juan Cruz Mallia, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando. 

Forwards: Eduardo Bello, Agustin Creevy, Efrain Elias, Thomas Gallo, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Marcos Kremer, Tomas Lavanini, Pablo Matera, Franco Molina, Julian Montoya, Joaquin Oviedo, Juan Bautista Pedemonte, Pedro Rubiolo, Ignacio Ruiz, Joel Sclavi, Lucio Sordoni, Mayco Vivas.

Reuters